


The Anomaly

by AHNicole



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: ...andporn, ...andpuns, ...or is it?, Abused Frisk (Undertale), Adorable Papyrus (Undertale), Alternate Timelines, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Ecto-Tentacles (Undertale), Ecto-Tongue (Undertale), F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Headcanon, Hurts So Good, Lots-o'-headcanons, Love, NSFW, Nonbinary Frisk (Undertale), Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Original Character(s), Papyrus is the sweetest cinnamon roll, Porn With Plot, Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), References to Undertale Genocide Route, Sad Frisk (Undertale), Sans (Undertale) Remembers Resets, Sex, Sexy Times, Shameless Smut, Sinnamon Roll Sans (Undertale), Skeleton Puns, Skeleton Sex (Undertale), Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, SoMuchPlot, Spatial Anomaly, Spoilers - Undertale Pacifist Route, The Anomaly - Freeform, Undertale Saves and Resets, Undertale Spoilers, Weird Plot Shit, a 'skele-ton', badum-tss, lotsofpuns, plotplotplot, sans/reader - Freeform, sans/you - Freeform, undertale/you - Freeform, youcouldsay...
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2019-11-19 01:10:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18128987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AHNicole/pseuds/AHNicole
Summary: Failure. Reset. Failure. Reset. Failure. Reset.This time, you fall into the Underground weeks before the 'Eighth' Human child arrives. But you’re not a child. And not many monsters expected to see an adult human in the Underground... not even Sans. You definitely aren’t supposed to be here.... or maybe you are? Maybe you’re the anomaly that can finally stop this endless cycle of resets?Or maybe you'll just get stuck in it with the rest of them.The “reader” is technically a young adult (twenties), female OC whose story is told through the second person. This was done to keep the story's POV similar to the game's POV.





	1. Chapter 1

 

### Prelude of the True Pacifist

 

  
You wake up with a pounding head. At first, you can’t really see as your eyes adjust to the darkness, thinned only by the faintest crack of light so very far above you.

  
Yellow.

  
Yellow.

  
So much yellow that you can’t make out your surroundings until you will yourself to sit up. It feels likes there’s a ton of bricks on your chest, but you manage to pull yourself together as you rub the back of your head. However, you immediately regret it, as you flinched away from the pain.

  
Where were you last? Hiking, right? You had just moved to the area recently and heard about Mt. Ebott. Everyone acted like it was cursed or something, but it looked like a perfectly good mountain to you. You had started going on walks. Except, this time you went off-trail and took a pretty bad tumble. So, the current question at hand is… where are you now?

  
You look around, trying not to turn your head too quickly: you still feel a bit woozy. That precaution doesn’t last long though, once you hear a sharp gasp behind you. You swivel where you sit to see an animal about ten feet away. Except this animal is a goat… and it’s standing on two legs… and it’s wearing a dress.

  
“Oh, my! Are you okay, dear?!”

  
And... apparently can talk.

  
You can’t answer. Not only because you’re astonished, but also because all you hear next is water rushing in your ears, and suddenly darkness is pulling at your peripherals. You feel like you’re falling all over again.

  
…

  
You can hear some voice, different than the goat woman’s. It sounds angry. It’s cursing your presence. It says you shouldn’t be here. It says, since you refuse to kill, you will be killed. And it will be the one to do it. You can feel your fear crawling on your back. You don’t like this voice.

  
…

  
You wake again to someone pulling at you. But this voice is gentle. It reminds you of your grandmother. You try to sit up for them like they ask but, ultimately, they do most of the work. It doesn't seem to be difficult for them though. They start saying something about you being “bigger than normally expected” and that the flowers must not have fully broken your fall. Whatever that means. As you’re pulled to your feet you look down and finally notice the flowers. Something about them gives you an eerie vibe, but you can’t quite place it. You quickly forget about it as you become distracted by your hand. The one you had touched to your head is covered in blood. You move to touch the back of your head again before your hand is held back by someone.

  
“Don’t touch that, dear. We need to get you fixed up right away.”

  
You blearily look up at this kind voice, and…yep. Still a goat. A rational part of you thinks you should gasp or make some sort of struggle against her - her being a sentient animal and all - but you just feel so confused. And her presence is… oddly comforting. You can’t think of anything else to do but follow her lead as she helps you hobble through some strange rooms. She seems to walk in zigzags that make no directional sense, but you can’t really argue in your state. At least you are getting through them quickly. She comforts you the whole way, and encourages you to keep going. Her warm words fill you with determination, and, despite the heaviness in your legs, you push on.

  
Along the way, you start to piece together your surroundings with the brief instructions she rambles through. Her name is Toriel. And, apparently you are… underground? And she calls this place the “Ruins”. Eventually, you both make it to a little house that doesn’t look like it belongs underground… and it doesn’t look ruined. This just adds to your confusion.

  
Toriel drags you into the house, and with an amazing display of strength, easily hauls you down the hall. She brings you into a bedroom with a twin sized bed. It seems to have belonged to a child, but once you lie down, complaining about the size doesn’t even cross your mind. Altogether, the place is nice: much better than that ominous, damp flower patch you were lying in minutes ago.

She disappears out the door and reappears swiftly with a bucket of water and bandages. She asks you to turn over on your side as she touches a damp cloth to the back of your head. It stings like hell, but she apologizes so earnestly each time you hiss in pain that you can’t find it in yourself to be too upset. Once she finishes, you roll back over and watch as she gathers all her supplies to be put away. She says she will be back with something to eat and drink and asks you not to fall asleep. Then she wonders if you prefer the taste of cinnamon or butterscotch. It all feels surreal to you. A goat woman asking what your flavor preferences are. It takes you a moment to answer. She seems pleased when you assure her that you find both delicious. Before she leaves again you swallow and make a hesitant sound that causes her pause.

  
“What is it, my dear?” the care in her tone radiates throughout the little room.

  
You don’t know why, but you like that endearing title and the calm rumble of her voice.

  
“I.. uh.. thank you... Toriel,” you manage, feeling how rough your own voice is.

  
“Please, do not worry about it. Try to rest, but, again, do not fall asleep.” She almost steps out into the lit hall, but you stop her once more.

  
“Um.. but.. you--" You aren’t sure how to ask politely, but you need to know. So, you just go for it. “You… what are you? And… where am I?”

  
Toriel gives you a weak, almost apologetic smile. You don’t like that look on her. She shouldn’t be apologizing to you. After everything she just did for you...?

  
She shuffles in the doorway for a moment before looking you in the eye and answering.

  
“I am a monster, dear. And you’re in the Underground.”

  
You don’t know how to respond to this revelation, so you numbly nod. She only nods back solemnly before she pulls away and softly closes the door behind her.

  
Frankly, you’re hurting too much right now to overthink this:

  
She is a monster.

  
And you're in the Underground.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, thanks to everyone who already left kudos for this work! This is actually the first fic I've posted to AO3, but I've always loved this community. I'm so excited! I've been writing this one a bit faster than my usual, but of course, it's also because I'm just going through the set up. I hope you guys stick around. The pay off will be coming up! ;)

### The Ruins

 

It takes two days before your head stops pounding so badly that you can’t think clearly. You should have died; you remind yourself on that third day. If you were as high up as you think you were, there’s no way you could have survived that fall; flowers or no flowers. But now, here you are, attempting to walk around on your own, and, somehow, succeeding. Toriel was helping you before now: getting you up to use the bathroom and such. But you’re getting restless, and you don’t feel like waiting today.

You start down the hall, touching to the wall in case your feeble legs give out. You don't know where Torial is. You haven't seen much of the house, besides this hallway, but you assume she’s in the kitchen, wherever that may be, by the smell of things. Something delicious is being made. You know, because everything Toriel makes is delicious. Even her escargot pie, which you were hesitant to try at first, was actually pretty great.

  
You finally make it to the foyer, only to see that there is a set of stairs that go further down. It peaks your curiosity, but you think to seek out Toriel first before investigating. It's pretty rude to go through someone's house without permission.

It takes you a few blind tries, but you finally find the kitchen. Toriel is indeed cooking up something that smells rich and savory and it makes your stomach lurch in want of food. You have been eating like a bird while you were in bed with a headache, but now you really feel hungry. Toriel turns slightly to grab a potholder and is startled at seeing you in the doorway.

  
“My! You frightened me!” she laughs lightheartedly and places a hand to her chest as if trying to slow her heart.

  
“Sorry,” you grimace apologetically.

  
“No no, that’s okay, dear. I’m glad to see you up and moving about. But, are you feeling well enough? I could bring you breakfast in bed?” she always seems so eager to help. She really does remind you of your grandmother. Maybe that’s why you don’t feel as weird as you imagined you would... talking to a goat person.

  
“I’m feeling a lot better today,” you admit with a touch of a smile. “I wanted to walk around a little. Stretch my legs. I still don’t really understand where I am…”

  
Toriel's smile seems to drop briefly at that statement, but she goes back to her sweet, cheery disposition after only a moment.

  
“Yes, well… perhaps after breakfast we can take a walk through the Ruins together?”

  
You agree and go to sit at the dinner table per her instructions.

...

  
After breakfast, you both go on a stroll through the "Ruins". You don't think the area looks _that _ruined. There are hidden switches and booty traps everywhere, which you believe to be sort of medieval, but, overall, the place doesn’t look so bad. Just old.__

 

You see some frogs, and are startled to find that they can talk. Though, you shouldn't really be startled at that, should you? It’s not like you hadn’t been chatting it up with a woman heavily resembling a goat for the past two days. You talk to the creatures for a while before you and Toriel continue the tour. She warns you that most of the monsters aren’t use to the presence of humans, and that some might try to fight you. You don’t like the sound of that. It’s not that you couldn’t hold your own if you had to… but the thought of everyone out to get you is a bit frightening. She must have seen the look on you face, because she quickly makes an addendum to her statement.

  
“But! That does not mean that you have to fight back to stay safe,” she explains quickly. “You don’t have to act with violence in a fight. Monsters may not understand what you are, but they all understand kindness. We all just want someone to talk to us now and again. I’m sure once they get to understand that you're not going to hurt them, they won’t want to fight anymore.”

  
“...I guess that makes sense,” you say, with a bit of hesitation. “I would probably get ready to run or fight if I was scared, too. So, I’m glad you told me.”

  
Toriel looks a bit saddened at that but doesn’t say anymore about it. Instead, she shows you how to navigate your way around the traps. You wonder who exactly these were meant to keep out, but right now, you don't think it's a good time to ask.

  
…

  
The next two days are much the same. You feel a lot better now, and Toriel feels confident enough to let you traverse the Ruins by yourself. The only place she doesn’t allow you go is downstairs into the basement, but you don’t think much of it. Everyone needs their privacy. So, you stick to the outside, and explore the rest of the Ruins. Toriel even gave you a cell phone in case you ran into trouble. You vaguely wonder how you get the signal down here, but maybe this place has its own communitive lines of some sort. You figure with all these talking animals, or “monsters” running around, anything could be possible down here.

  
However, just when you thought you were beginning to become comfortable with the illogic of this place, everything swings back out of your paradigm when you meet a rather depressed sounding …ghost..? You had assumed these creatures were mostly animals, but now you have to assume that there must be some sort of 'magic' down here. It’s as if all the myths of monsters you heard growing up are true… except, they are all rather friendly, instead of out for blood like in your stories. Even the ghost just sort of cries and floats away after you ask him to move out of your way a few times. You feel kind of bad.

  
A few frogs (you find out the proper name is “Froggits”) try to attack you, but then you talk to them like Toriel said. They are rather nice after that.

  
The "Ruins” is a pleasant place, but you soon find out that it’s rather small. You make it back to the flower bed you fell into pretty easily, despite the weird puzzles. You find your old cell phone smashed to pieces from the fall. You pick it up, but you know there’s no salvaging it. You only keep the sim card.

You don’t like the feel of this room and these flowers, so you don’t stick around much longer. It seems that you could walk through the Ruins many times over in the span of only a few hours if you wanted. It’s starting to make you feel claustrophobic. And now that you’re feeling better, you want to see about getting home. You decide to bring it up to Toriel that night at the dinner table, but you… frankly, don’t like her answer.

  
“My dear… I am afraid that you can not leave the Ruins,” she says solemnly over her meal.  
You sit across from her, and although she can’t look you in the eyes, you look straight back at her with disbelief.

  
“What? Why? But I have to go home eventually! I have a job, and rent, and bills… I’m sure someone is looking for me. I can’t stay here much longer… I still don’t even really know where ‘here' is.”

  
“I’ve told you, my dear, you are in the Ruins--"

  
You don’t mean to cut her off, but the defeated look in her eyes makes you start to feel panicky.

  
“But there’s got to be a way out of here! I can't stay here forever, Toriel,” you plead with her some more and finally she sighs.

  
“Im sorry..  but you cannot leave. No human has ever left the Ruins and lived,” she says in a small voice, and you grow quiet. Not only so you can hear her, but because what she says shocks you to the core. “There's a way to get to the surface, but it's through the Underground. And… it’s too dangerous for a human. You must stay here.”

  
Toriel seems upset. So, you drop the subject for now, and resign to your room. You stay awake at night thinking about escape. You aren't going to give up on getting home so easily. There is no way you are going to spend your whole life down here. But you’ve seen the whole Ruins and there wasn’t a path that lead you away. You think about the possible ways to get out, and then it hits you: the basement. She doesn’t like you going into the basement... because she doesn’t want you to find it: the path to the rest of the Underground.

Finally, you decide to sleep and get some rest.

Tomorrow will be a big day. Tomorrow, you’re going to escape. Tomorrow, you’re going into the Underground.

Tomorrow, you’re going home.

 


	3. Chapter 3

### The Punderground

  
You wake up just as the ‘sunlight’ starts filtering through your room. You’re not sure how things work around here with no actual sun, but you know this means it's morning now. Normally, you need an alarm to get up so early, but maybe your body is filled with as much nervous energy as you feel…

  
Becuase you’re going to find that path today.

  
You lie there thinking about the best way to sneak out. But, once you hear Toriel getting up for the day, you decide to go with ‘Plan A’: Act normal.

  
Once you assume it’s been long enough for Toriel to start making breakfast, you get dressed in the clothes you arrived in and head down to the kitchen. You attempt to causally chat with Toriel as she prepares the food. You mention the Underground again, trying to pry about why it might be dangerous, but Toriel brushes you off. She never seems as hostile as she is when she's asked questions about the Underground. Her irritation at your questions make you uneasy: not only in her presence, but unease for the tough road that must be ahead of you outside of the Ruins.

But, what else are you going to do?

The way you see it, you can either live a long, boring life here with Toriel in this glorified prison courtyard, or you can take your chances, and either get home, or live a short, exciting life finding out what’s on the other side of the Ruins. One is more of a sure thing, while the other is a gamble. But, the idea of some adventure and exploration fills you with determination. You want to get out of here.

  
During breakfast, you keep the conversation light. If it really is the last time you're going to see Toriel, you don’t want to make her upset. Afterwards, you help with some of the dishes, and say you’re going out into the Ruins again to talk with the Froggits. Toriel tells you to ‘have fun’, and stays behind to finish the rest of the cleaning. You feel guilty as you walk into the foyer and open and close the front door indiscreetly. But instead of going outside, you slowly sneak towards the basement stair case. It’s impossibly dark down here at first but your eyes adjust. It appears that there is just a long tunnel ahead of you, and you feel more and more anxious the longer you walk.

  
Finally, you make it to what appears to be a large door. This must be it. Before you can reach out to it, a light flashes behind you and you feel an incredible heat rush over your shoulder. A ball of fire hits the door and dissipates.

A warning.

Holding your breath, you turn slowly with your hands up, seeing Toriel looking rather determined not to let you leave.

  
“I told you. It’s too dangerous to leave the Ruins,” she pleads with desperation in her voice. “I am only protecting you. Don’t you understand?”

  
You slowly lower your hands. Neither of you make a move towards or away from each other.

  
“What is so bad out there that you think I’m better off stuck here for the rest of my life?” you ask, demanding an _actual_ answer this time.

  
Toriel doesn’t seem ready to give up her stance, but at least she does relent some more information.

  
“Like I’ve said... Every human that falls down here meets the same fate. I have seen it again and again. They...Asgore... _killed_ them. You’re naïve to think you won’t suffer the same fate _ _.”__

  
You don’t hesitate. Despite her warnings, you know there is no life for you here. No matter how nice Toriel is, you would go crazy being locked up here forever.

  
“Maybe I am naïve!” you lament. “I don’t understand this place at all! But, I do know I can’t stay here, Toriel! I want to leave. I _need_ to leave... I want to go _home_...” you beg _ _ _.___

  
“...You are just like the others...” Toriel sighs, and her expression is so saddened and full of regret that your resolve almost wavers. You start to move towards her, wanting to comfort her, but she puts up a hand up stop you. “No, I understand. You would be unhappy here. The Ruins are too small, and you would just grow use to them.”

  
Instead, Toriel takes the steps necessary to meet you, looking down at her feet as she continues to speak.

  
“If you truly wish to leave the Ruins, I will not stop you.” You smile gently up to her, but when she meets your eyes, she only looks serious.

“However,” she adds, “when you leave... Please do not come back.”

  
You know your expression just dropped. You don’t know why, but the thought of never coming back makes you want to cry. Toriel looks much the same.

  
“I hope you understand,” her voice wavers, but holds true.

She moves to pull you into a hug and you reach out for her, fervently. A few tears slide down your face as you bury yourself into the softness of her purple dress and thick fur underneath.. You don’t know why you feel so emotional. You’ve only known this woman for the span of nearly five days, but it feel like you’re losing an old friend.

  
“I’m sorry, Toriel…” you say, your words muffled by your nearness. You pull back after a moment to look at her more directly. “And thank you.. for everything you’ve done for me.”

Toriel nods and gives your shoulders a final squeeze.

  
“Good bye, my dear,” she whispers, before placing a hand to her mouth and turning away from you. She starts back towards the tunnel. You try not to dwell on watching her too long- not wanting to have your mind changed. You need to get home.

  
You turn towards the large doors once again and take a deep breath before pushing them open. You weren’t sure what you were expecting, but it wasn’t another tunnel. You walk this next long path with more anticipation until you come to a dark room with another set of doors. Just before you place your hand on the cold surface to open them, you think you hear someone cackling behind you. It frightens you so much that you push through the doors in a frenzy and burst into the light. The doors swing shut behind you as you squint into this new setting. This place, the Underground, hardly looks underground at all. There's some sort of artificial light coming from above you that reflects off the snow on the ground, making everything seem brighter than in the Ruins. There are trees and foliage. It doesn’t really make any sense, but then again, what here has made sense so far?

  
You continue on, wanting to get as far away from that dark room as possible, but you're feeling sorely underdressed with all the snowy weather here. You rub your arms and then fold them up as you walk down the path in front of you. You can’t shake the feeling that you’re being watched and you glance through the trees around you, trying to foresee any coming danger.

Toriel was so adamant about the Underground being deadly that you can't help feeling jumpy. As you come to a small bridge, a sudden, chilling voice calls out to you, making you nearly leap out of your skin. It's right behind you now and you squeeze you eyes shut, afraid to turn around.

  
_“Hey. Don't you know how to greet a pal? I’m not gunna hurt ya. Turn around and shake my hand.”_

  
You don’t want to anger this new monster. So, with eyes still shut tight, you do as your told, spinning around with your hand stretched out. You peek at the creature in font of you just as you feel bony phalanges clasp over your fingers. It’s a skeleton. A real, talking, walking, clothes wearing, skeleton.

  
Eyes large, heart beating out of your chest, you inhale sharply and take one swift step back only to hear… a farting noise.

  
On top of anxious, you are now very confused.

  
The skeleton, who is chuckling at you, still hasn’t let go of your hand as you take a quick glance at the ground behind you. You had stepped right onto a whoopee cushion. It was placed so deliberately, as though this monster new exactly how you would react physically, and hid it in the perfect spot behind your heel...

  
The skeleton is still grinning. It seems to have a permanent smile plastered to its face.

  
“the old whoopee cushion trick. it _never_ gets old.” His voice is different from before, as if he was only trying to sound scary earlier to mess with you. Finally, he lets you go and you retract your hand cautiously.

   
“anyway. you’re a human, right? that’s pretty cool. i’m sans. sans the skeleton.” He's looking at you now, with a huge, earnest smile. You’re not sure how you can tell this smile from the other one… but you sort of.. just can. This skeleton is pretty expressive. He's a little shorter than you; you can just see over the top of his skull. But he’s looking up to you right now, smiling as if he’s just really happy to see you. Maybe it’s the reason you feel allowed to let some of your guard down.

  
You introduce yourself to him politely, wondering where the rest of this conversation is going. He knows you’re a human… so he’s planning to attack you, right? You can’t be sure, but it doesn't seem that way. He seems to be easy going enough... so you decide to ask outright.

  
“So… you know I’m a human… is that… okay?” you wonder awkwardly.

  
Sans sort of laughs at you again, but it sounds more endearing than rude.

  
“well, I’m actually suppose to be on the watch for humans but… you know…” he shrugs and gives you a little wink and a sly smile. “i don’t really care about capturing anybody.”

  
You could almost sigh in relief. That is, until his next line.

  
“now… my brother, Papyrus,” he draws out in exaggeration, “he’s CRAZY about human hunting. actually, i think that’s him right over there.”

  
He sounds so carefree as he gestures behind you, and you can tell he's having fun teasing you. But, you still can't help your panic as you glance behind you, and then back at him. Sans seems to notice this, and, although he's still technically still smiling, you see some seriousness reach his eyes and his grin drops just a hint.

  
“it'll be alright, bud,” he assures you. “here. come with me.”

He tugs on your sleeve and gestures for you to follow him in the direction you were originally walking… towards his ‘human-hunting’ brother.

You’re justifiably hesitant.

Ever observant, however, Sans notices your pause and turns back to you, with that newly familiar, earnest smile reaching his eyes.

  
“don’t worry, bud,” he coos softly. “you can trust me.”

  
Somehow, you feel like you can.

  
You’re trepid as you follow behind him. He takes you through a ‘gate thingy’ and over the bridge until you come to a wooden stand. It looks like someone should be selling something from behind it.

He instructs you to hide behind his ‘sentry station', as he calls it, and you diligently follow his direction. You duck down behind and notice the shelf below is filled with a bunch of random condiments. You don’t really have time to ponder this strange phenomenon, since San’s brother, Papyrus, fast-walks right past the station to speak with Sans. You peek over the top of the counter to get a better look at this ‘hunter’.

  
Papyrus, you realize right away, seems to only be able to speak at one volume: loud.

  
You listen on, without much of a choice, as he scolds Sans for being a “lazybones” and talks extravagantly about becoming a part of some ‘royal guard’ and making friends. It’s kind of funny. It sounds like the ultimate dream of a little boy. His eccentric laugh makes it even harder for you to take him seriously. You actually find it sort of... adorable. Except for the part where he plans to accomplish this dream by capturing humans, i.e. you.

  
Meanwhile, Sans just sort of blows him off with some, frankly, hilarious jokes. You have to admit; you’ve always liked bad puns. And he has a ‘ton’ of them: as he remarks… ‘ a _skele_ -ton’. You have to stifle some of your laughter, and, even though you are sure Sans can hear you, (since he keeps winking at you over Papyrus’ shoulder) Papyrus remains altogether clueless. In fact, he just gets fed up with Sans’ apparent ‘laziness’, makes a quick joke of his own, and storms away in an eccentric breeze _ _.__

  
You’re still a bit too timid to leave your post, but Sans saunters over to you instead. He leans an elbow against the counter of the station and stares down at you where you’re crouched.

  
“i think the coast is clear,” he grins slyly to you.

  
You let out a small breath and give him a little, embarrassed grimace.

  
“Yeah... thanks... by the way.”

  
“no problem,” he shrugs, jamming his hands into his pockets and rocking back on his heels. You stand and brush off your knees.

  
“but, you better get going,” he adds, sounding serious. “he might come back. and if he does, you’ll have to sit through more of my hilarious jokes.”

  
He winks, and you realize at this point, that every time he opens his mouth in seriousness, he’s actually just setting up a joke to mess with you. You kind of like it. These past few days have been so stressful. It’s taking some of the edge off.

  
“I’m taking that as a threat,” you chuckle, and his already white eyes somehow seem to lighten up more when you tease him.

  
“You’re probably right though.” You say more somberly. “I should get a move on... But if there’s any way I can repay you down the road, just let me know,” you offer.

It’s the least you could say, after how he deliberately avoided doing his job to help you. You turn to leave, but only get a few steps away before Sans the Skeleton speaks up again.

  
“actually... hate to bother ya. but, could i go ahead and cash in that favor?

  
You turn back to look at him. He’s still smiling, of course, but now it seems... mischievous? You’re not sure what to expect, but _you_ were the one who just offered your help, weren’t you? So, it’s not like you're going to refuse now.

   
You face him head on and nod in agreement. His smile widens.

   
“great. now… i actually need you to get seen by my brother.”

   
You can only stare at him. He doesn’t seem to be joking anymore.

   
You feel your mistakes crawling on your back.

 


	4. Chapter 4

### The Two Most Puzzling Skeletons

  
He sees your fear.

  
Sans sees a lot, apparently, since he keeps reading your expression like an open book. Maybe you _are_ just an open book to him.

Because, his smile immediately softens as if he's trying to reassure you.

  
"it's just that my brother’s been kinda down lately. seeing you might make his day. don’t worry. he’s not dangerous. and he won’t capture you.”

  
The honesty is palpable. But you’re still unsure. Even if that’s what he believes, how could he possibly know that? You want to help though. You said you would. Getting captured and dying just isn’t on your agenda at the moment. You have to be sure.

  
“Do you promise?” you ask, hopefully.

  
Sans pauses for a moment and then chuckles.

  
“now, I don’t normally like to make promises,” he shrugs, and you think that’s the end of that.

  
“but...” he looks at you with a sickly sweet and smooth grin as he saunters up to you. “for you, bud. i _pinky_ promise.”

  
He takes one bony hand out of his pocket and holds his pinky out between the two of you. You try to stay serious about it, but you find it too funny. You laugh and wrap your pinky around his in return.

  
“I hope you know that where I’m from, a pinky promise is the most sacred promise you can make,” you tease, but there’s a bit of desperation behind your words. You really hope you’re not going to be betrayed. And, despite your blasé tone, you think he understands that. The look he's giving you makes you want to believe that, at least.

  
“no worries. i’ll be right there with ya. meet ya up ahead.” He unravels his finger from yours and walks on ahead.

Except ‘ahead' is back the way you came. You're not sure what to think about that.

  
You shake out your dread and decide _not_ to think about it at all. Regardless of whether he keeps his promise or not, you still have to keep going forward. You think of everything you put Toriel through. You wouldn’t let it be for nothing. The thought fills you with determination, and you take a breath before continuing on.

...

  
He must have went pretty far, because it's taking you awhile to find Papyrus. Instead, you end up running into a few other monsters along the way. You, actually, _literally_ run into one.

He calls himself “Snow Drake”, and you really, honest to god, don’t see him with all the snow around. He seems upset about it, until he starts telling jokes and hears you laugh. After that, he appears to calm down and gives you... money? You try to refuse, but he insists. You thank him and go on your way. It's odd how generous they are, but you feel a little better upon realizing none of the monsters are really trying to fight you. You hope your luck doesn't run out with Papyrus.

  
Finally, you find the brothers. You briefly wonder how Sans got there before you, but you forget about it rather suddenly once Papyrus spots you. You brace yourself for a big revelation and chase... but Papyrus doesn’t get it. He doesn’t even know you’re a human until Sans tells him. You hide a chuckle behind your hand when Sans shrugs behind his brother’s back as if it’s an inside joke between the two of you. Eventually, Papyrus pieces it together.

  
And Sans is right. The tall skeleton is so excited about seeing you, that you actually start to feel excited for him, too. Until he starts talking about capturing you again...

  
You think ‘this is it’. This is where the chase begins. But Papyrus...just warns you and runs giddily in the other direction, laughing loudly. Sans is still there though, and he’s smiling at you.

  
“you're doing great. and don't worry. i’m still keepin an eye socket out for ya.” He winks at you once again and, less enthusiastically, ambles away, towards his brother.

  
You follow them, probably as the least enthusiastic member of this strange party.

You find them again after a long walk. Papyrus has set multiple ‘traps’ for you. They’re mostly just puzzles. And they’re rather easy. You start to wonder if he’s really trying to capture you, after all. They’re both even sort of helping you out. They explain what all the puzzles are before you start them, saving you time in figuring it out for yourself. And they’re cracking jokes the whole time.

  
It’s actually kind of fun.

  
You're beginning to understand the brothers’ dichotomy a bit more. Papyrus really is like a child. He’s always so excited, (and a little airheaded) but he’s also sweet. He stops his puzzles a few times to ask if you’re okay, and he keeps repeating that you can ask him for help if you can’t figure one out. It really just seems like he’s trying to impress you.

  
Sans is more clever, although he attempts to hide it behind the pretense of being a lazy jokester. He seems to get a lot of joy out of teasing Papyrus. But, he's never truly mean. And whenever Papyrus isn't nearby, all he does is talk about him. It's endearing.

  
After hours of solving puzzles with the two skeletons, you start to relax. You chat with them and even manage to make them laugh with some puns of your own. Well... Sans chuckles anyway. Papyrus complains and tells you not to encourage him. Though, he does profess that your jokes are better than Sans’.

  
The whole ordeal is hilarious and lighthearted… up until the last ‘trap'.

You follow them across a bridge and that’s when, suddenly, things get serious. There are no more puzzles. Just weapons. Papyrus has real weapons pointed at you. You look to Sans for help, but he appears aloof to the imminent danger you're in. You’re not sure what else to do, you think to run, but before you can even move, Papyrus lowers the weapons. He's making excuses, but it’s becoming clear to you that he doesn’t have any intention to hurt you.

He starts to give you a speech about how he enjoys your company and ‘pities you' for not having friends. You know he's projecting. You want to reassure him, but he just keeps talking. However, he eventually talks himself back into capturing you and demands a fight. You feel something in your chest being pulled to the surface. It's unsettling. You don’t like the feeling, and you grasp at your chest trying to keep it at bay. Just then, Sans steps in.

  
“come on, bro. you're obviously a lot stronger than this human. it really wouldn’t be fair,” Sans points out, and takes his left hand out of his pocket to place on his brother's shoulder.

That feeling in your chest starts to subside, and you can breathe normally again.

  
“HMM… YOU MAY BE RIGHT BROTHER…” Papyrus ponders out aloud. “BUT!!! TO BECOME PART OF THE ROYAL GUARD I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, MUST CAPTURE THE HUMAN. THEN I WILL HAVE MANY FRIENDS!!! NOT THAT I DO NOT ALREADY HAVE MANY FRIENDS…”

He is rambling now, conflicted with his choice.

You think you know how to change his mind for good.

“I want to be your friend, Papyrus!”

You have to speak loudly for him to hear you over his own speech, but he immediately stops and listens to you.

  
“WHAT WAS THAT?! DID YOU JUST SAY THAT YOU, A HUMAN, WOULD LIKE TO BE FRIENDS WITH MEEE?!?!”

  
His eyes light up. You can't help but laugh a little. For goodness sake, there are literally stars in his eyes.

  
“Of course.” You lay it on thick, for good measure. “I think you’re super cool, Papyrus. I really want to be your friend.”

  
It doesn't take long for Papyrus to come around after that. He decides that he would, in fact, be too strong for you to defeat. So, he elects to give you pity and spares you from a fight. You’re relieved, and when you look over at Sans, he's got a rather smug look to his smile. He lifts up his hand and presents you his pinky.

  
You have to admit it. He was right.

  
You laugh and hold your pinky back up to him.

  
Papyrus is already springing into action. He's fast-walking up to you and begins bombarding you with questions; like 'have you ever been to Snowdin' and 'do you want to see his action figure ‘definitely-not-toy’ collection.'

  
You chuckle while trying to answer all of his rapid-fire inquiries to the best of your ability. Sans is walking over, smiling at the two of you. He seems pleased... content even. He suggests that you come to Snowdin with them to catch a break. After the long day you’ve had, there's nothing you’d rather do. The brothers lead the way. You sigh a breath of relief.

  
Maybe the Underground isn’t so dangerous, after all.

  
Maybe everything really is going to be okay.

  
…

  
…God, you hope so.

 


	5. Chapter 5

### Snowdin

  
Papyrus leads the way to the town.

  
He talks excitedly, and quite loudly, the whole time. You don’t mind, though. Frankly, you’re still just amazed that you managed to make friends out of the potential threats so easily.

  
Sans is hanging back with you, causally shuffling through the snow with his hands in his pockets. He's trying to be discreet, but you see him repeatedly glance over at you. You’re mostly keeping your eyes on Papyrus' heels as you fade in and out of his speech. You truly are _trying_ to listen, but you keep drifting back to your home, and Toriel, and how the hell you’re going to get out of here.

  
Sans notices that you're distracted. He always just seems to know.

  
“what’s on your mind, pal?” he asks, quiet enough that Papyrus doesn’t detect your side conversation.

  
“Oh, uh… just…” You’re not sure what to say. There’s a lot to unpack. You settle on the big picture. “I'm just worrying about how to get back home."

  
Sans nods in understanding.

  
“hm. that's a tough one,” he admits, but doesn’t go out of his way to give you more information.

  
Papyrus, on the other hand, is still giving you all of the information. According to him, you just made it into Snowdin, and he's now describing the story behind the ritual of placing presents under a large tree in the center of town.

  
You see buildings up ahead and more monsters walking around. At first, you're afraid that they’ll spot you and start asking questions. But when you walk by, they all go about their day. Maybe, like Papyrus, they don't even recognize that you’re a human. But then, you wonder how Sans knew…

  
You glance over to Sans. He's already watching you. Your didn't intend to meet his eyes so directly, but he doesn't get embarrassed like you do. He just smiles wider. You try to give him a strange look but end up coughing out a laugh when he wags his brow at you. You shake your head. That face is just too expressive for a skull.

  
He keeps holding silly faces or gestures every time you look in his general direction. Papyrus wonders what you’re finding so funny. He realizes Sans must be distracting you.

  
“SANS! I AM TRYING TO GIVE MY NEW FRIEND THE GREATEST TOUR OF SNOWDIN EVER! IT CANNOT BE THE GREATEST TOUR EVER WITH YOUR JOKES IN IT!”

  
“hey. it’s not my fault she finds me so humerus.” Sans ‘finger guns' at his brother.

  
“SANS!!!”

  
“come on. you're smiling.”

  
“I AM!” Papyrus admits. “AND I HATE IT!”

  
You’re laughing at their interaction. Sans is smiling at you. Papyrus is stomping his feet in annoyance as he walks. You inwardly admit that you’re enjoying yourself.

  
…

  
The tour consists mostly of Papyrus pointing out a couple of public buildings and you petting a large variety of sentient dogs. This town is rather small, but Papyrus insists on taking you into every local business. At this point, Sans ditches you. He says he’ll ‘catch up later’ and disappears in the opposite direction of Snowdin. So, it’s just you and Papyrus left to stroll around town.

  
It doesn’t take long for you to feel tired. You’ve been on the move all day. And you're not exactly used to all this exercise after recovering from your head injury. While Papryus is showing you the inn, you wonder aloud how much a night would cost. You hope the ‘pity money’ Snow Drake gave you is enough.

  
Papyrus loudly exclaims that you should just stay at his and his brother's house. He wouldn’t be a ‘cool friend' if he allowed you to purchase a hotel room without at least offering.

  
You thank him, but you don’t want to put them out.

  
You go up to the counter and ask the bunny monster about the price of a bed for one night. It's much more than you can afford. You leave feeling defeated.

  
Papyrus is ecstatic.

  
“DO NOT FRET, HUMAN! NOW YOU CAN VISIT THE HOME OF YOUR COOL FRIEND, PAPYRUS! WE CAN DO THINGS THAT COOL FRIENDS DO… LIKE….PARTICIPATE IN SLEEPOVER ACTIVITIES!”

  
You chuckle and thank him.

  
He causally pries about which type of activities are usually performed at sleepovers. He assures you he's not asking because he has never been to a sleepover. He just wants to make sure that _you_ know what they are...

  
You don't call his bluff. You only smile and recite all the sleepover procedures you know, while Papyrus leads the way.

  
And you're pretty sure he's been leading you in circles. It takes a while, but you finally stop in front of a house you know you’ve passed before.

  
“MY HOUSE!” he exclaims excitedly and pushes inside. You follow behind him.

  
…

  
Their home is... adorable.

  
It's small, and cleaner than you imagined for a place housing two childish boys. But you don’t like it for its appearance. It's the personality you find cute..

  
For instance, Sans has a ‘pet rock'. And Papyrus feeds it with sprinkles. You’re sure this is just a joke on Sans’ part that went too far, since Papyrus seems to really believe it’s a pet. You can't bring yourself to tell him the truth, either.

  
You examine the living room and find a single sock on the ground. There are notes attached to it, going back and forth between the brothers. It's annoying to Papyrus, but you can't help laughing as you read through their written argument.

  
A joke book sits on the side table. When you look inside, there seems to be a never-ending repetition of alternating quantum physics books and joke books. You can only assume this giant meta-joke belongs to Sans. Just as you’re setting it down, you hear a door open upstairs.

  
“SANS, YOU LAZYBONES!” Papyrus calls to him from right beside you. You try not to flinch away as he shouts in your ear. You look up to see Sans coming down the staircase.

  
“YOU ONLY LEFT THE TOUR PREMATURELY SO YOU COULD SLEEP, DIDN'T YOU?!

  
“ok. you caught me.” Sans confesses, almost at the bottom of the stairs. You can't tell if he's being serious or not, though.

  
“YOU ARE ALWAYS IN YOUR ROOM!” Papyrus chastises. “ANYWAY!! THE HUMAN WILL BE STAYING WITH US. BE A GOOD HOST AND PROPERLY WELCOME OUR GUEST!”

  
Sans meanders up to you.

  
“so, you're staying here tonight. welcome.” He doesn’t sound surprised by this. And, that permanent smile doesn’t falter.

  
“Thanks... I hope that's okay?” You run a hand through your hair, feeling self-conscious. You feel bad for relying so heavily on complete strangers. “Papyrus offered. I didn't have enough money for the inn. But, once I can make some money...”

  
Sans is shaking his head.

  
“hey. don’t worry about it. if Papyrus wants you here, then I want you here. stay as long as you need.”

He says that so easily. And he's looking at you as if he's truly glad for your company.

  
“YES! I DO WANT THE HUMAN HERE!” Papyrus pipes in. “WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A SLEEPOVER AND DO TRADITIONAL SLEEPOVER ACTIVITIES…WHICH, OF COURSE, I KNOW ALL ABOUT!”

  
Sans looks back to you with a huge grin.

  
“a sleepover, huh?” You expect a thorough teasing, but it doesn’t come. “sounds fun.” He says instead. Then, he covers a yawn with his hand.

  
“SANS! HOW CAN YOU BE TIRED AFTER SLEEPING ALL DAY?! DOES THIS MEAN YOU ARE NOT PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SLEEPOVER PROTOCOLS WITH US?” There’s a hint desperation in his eyes. To be honest, you're tired too, but you’d hate to disappoint Papyrus. Especially after he offered you his home. And _especially_ when he seemed so happy to experience a sleepover.

  
You’re not sure how, but you’re beginning to wonder if San’s can read your mind. Or, maybe he’s just very observant of your lulling body language. Either way, he’s there to help you, once again.

  
“i’m pretty tired, buddo. i bet our guest is, too.”

  
Well... you thought he was helping. Until he glances at you mischievously.

  
“so, why don't we just do one activity tonight, and save the rest for tomorrow? then you could have two sleepovers.”

  
You open your mouth to interject. You didn’t exactly plan to stay another night. You don’t want to impose. But mostly, you want to start looking for a way home by tomorrow.

  
Before you can make a sound, Papyrus is already running with Sans' suggestion.

  
“THAT IS A GREAT IDEA! I AM SURPRISED THAT I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, DID NOT THINK OF IT BEFORE YOU! EVEN BETTER, WE COULD DO AN ACTIVITY EVERYDAY UNTIL WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A WHOLE WEEK OF SLEEPOVERS! EVERY ACTIVITY WILL BE VIGORUOUSLY PLANNED...”

  
You close your still gaping mouth, trying not to look mortified. You don’t want to break it to him, but there’s no way you can stay that long. You’re not sure what to say as Papyrus continues discussing the week-long sleepover regimen. You look over to the person who got you into this predicament, and he's smiling at you. He doesn’t seem prepared to reign in his brother or help you in anyway. Papyrus is starry eyed again as he asks you to repeat that list of sleepover activities.

  
You suppose you can always wait to break the news to him tomorrow. But, before you can rattle off the list, Sans makes a suggestion to Papyrus again.

  
“i bet she's never seen your favorite show," he chimes.

  
Papyrus takes the bait and starts looking for the remote. You’re grateful for that. At least the chosen activity involves sitting.

  
Papyrus finds the channel he's searching for and convinces you to take a seat with him on the couch. Not that you need much convincing. The couch is old and saggy… but right now, it’s the most comfortable piece of furniture ever. Sans silently plops down on the ground in front of you.

An episode begins to play, while Papyrus begins explaining it. It appears that a robot is the main star. And, the show is… surprisingly good. This one is a comedy. You chuckle along as your eye lids grow heavy, and you lean against the couch’s arm rest.

By the end of the episode, Papyrus lets out a yawn.

  
“sounds like someone is sleepy after all,” Sans comments. He convinces Papyrus that it’s time to go to bed. They say goodnight to you and head upstairs. Just as you begin to lie across the couch, Sans comes back down with a pillow and blanket. You thank him as he hands them over.

  
For a second, you think he's going to say something else. But Papyrus is calling to him, impatiently. Sans explains that his little brother gets cranky without his bedtime stories, and you chuckle. He just says goodnight. When you turn back around after setting down the linens, he’s gone again. It should be unsettling, but at this point, you’re too tired to feel uncomfortable. You lie down and pull the blanket up over yourself.

  
They're nice, you think. These 'monsters'. 

  
Although, you don’t know how they’re so trusting. Especially when _you're_ the, apparently, taboo creature in _their_ world. A creature they allowed into their home after only knowing for one day. 

  
You, on the other hand, aren't so trusting.

You don’t warm up so easily.

  
But, due to their kindness...

You have to admit that you’re starting to.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the kudos and comments guys! ;) hope you enjoy this one!

### Snowed In

 

You wake up to the sound of rustling in the kitchen.

It doesn’t take long to figure out its Papyrus.

You rub your face as you walk towards the noise to investigate. The tall skeleton is cooking, and he greets you just a little too loudly for so early in the morning. You figure Sans is still sleeping. To his credit, you would be, too.

Papyrus is making spaghetti... for breakfast. You don’t complain. You just realized that you’re starving. Besides, the food he gives you is... edible. Sort of. You thank him and scarf it down.

As you help Papyrus clean up (needing a stepping stool to reach the insanely tall sink), you hint towards finding a way home. Papyrus is actually the most helpful person you’ve encountered in this matter, so far.

He explains that there is a ‘barrier’ leading to the surface, if you keep going East. He assures you that the King of the Underground, who guards the barrier, is a big softie. It sounds easy enough. Until he starts talking about his friend, Undyne. Apparently, she’s a huge reason why Papyrus wants to join the ‘Royal Guard.” And, supposedly, she’s a lot better at catching humans than he is. And, in Papyrus’ own words, she is _not_ going to be happy when she finds out he’s been smuggling you through Snowdin.

But, ever optimistic, Papyrus thinks she’ll ultimately come around to you.

You’re starting to doubt the justification for his optimism.

Papyrus goes upstairs to wake up Sans after cleaning. You can hear him shouting that it’s time for work. You’re neatly laying the blanket you borrowed over the back of the couch when they both come downstairs. Sans is still looking sleepy but is smiling as he approaches. He doesn’t speak to you until Papyrus says goodbye and rushes out the door.

“you headed out?”

How could he tell?

“I really do need to get home,” You say sheepishly. “I hope Papyrus understands.”

“he will,” Sans shrugs, and heads towards the door himself. “i’ll be at the sentry station in waterfall today. see ya on your way out.”

He leaves and you prepare to do the same.

…

You buy a few cinnamon buns at the shop, figuring they will make a good snack during your journey.

And a journey, it is.

You feel like you’ve been walking for hours before you notice the scenery start to change. The snow melts and leads you on a path where water pours from the cave ceiling. It’s darker here, for whatever reason, and bright crystals light the way. It would be quite beautiful if you weren’t so apprehensive.

You see a sentry station up ahead. And, unsurprisingly, there’s Sans. He’s sitting at his station, talking to an armless, reptile child. He points down the road, and the child run excitedly in the other direction. Sans smirks as you approach him.

“you got here fast,” he comments and leans a hip against the countertop.

“Oh, you think so?” you chuckle with irony. It didn’t feel fast to you. He smiles wider at that.

“so, you’re out of here, huh?”

“I’m still not really sure where ‘here’ is… but I need to leave eventually.” You recall it's what you told Toriel and feel a pang of guilt. He doesn’t comment. You frown as you think about how you’re also leaving Papyrus without a proper farewell.

“I , uh… I didn’t see your brother on the way over,” you add. “Could you tell him goodbye for me?”

Sans smiles on, unfazed.

“sure thing, pal.”

“Thanks… for all of it.” You turn to leave.

“see ya,” he sings causally. “oh, and watch your back. undyne just went that way.”

You feel the blood rush out of your face. You're already spinning back around.

“R-really?” you stammer. You hope he’s just joking.

He’s not.

“yep. she lives in waterfall. it’s her favorite place, since the weather is mild. probably why you haven’t seen her in snowdin yet. i guess she's just not as _cool_ as me and papyrus.”

Normally, you would comment on his joke. But now you don’t know what to say. And you certainly don’t know what to do anymore. You peer down the dark path ahead of you, afraid to move forward.

“anyway. i’m going to take a lunch break. want to come? i’ll buy you your last meal... before you head out, i mean.”

You know he’s just trying to get under your skin... but it works.

“…Sure.” You’re defeated, but still determined. Maybe if you wait it out for a little while, you won’t run into Undyne.

“well, if you insist on prying me away from my work...” He's smug as he pushes off the counter. He mentions knowing a shortcut.

And, a door appears in the cave wall next to him.

You only have time to blink before he’s opening it and coaxing you inside. You’re suddenly standing in the entrance to Grillby’s.

Well... now you know how he gets around so quickly.

“fast shortcut, huh?” he winks and then shuts the door behind you to greet the fellow patrons of the restaurant.

They all shout greetings back. He’s obviously a regular. One monster even points out that he was just here just a few minutes ago for breakfast. You’re beginning to see how that’s possible. Sans cracks a few jokes as he leads you to the bar stools, and everyone laughs.

You take a seat at the bar, feeling a bit dumbstruck. This really is the Grillby’s back in Snowdin. You thought the Underground was magical, but you haven't encountered this party trick yet.

Before you start dwelling on it too long, Sans pulls you out of it. He’s telling more jokes and then changes the subject by thanking you for being so nice to his brother. You smile, but feel bad. Afterall, you were just about to leave without saying goodbye. You apologize for it, but Sans tells you not to worry. He assures you that Papyrus is tougher than you think.

He offers you food. You go to check your pocket to see what you can afford. But Sans shakes his head and tells you he’s got it. He orders for you. The food is amazing.

You’ll admit your company isn't so bad either.

He’s asking you about yourself and your life on the surface. You feel like to don’t have many interesting things to say. Not compared to all of your more recent, other-worldly, experiences this past week. But he listens all the same.

You soon realize that Sans only likes to talk about his brother. He mentions how cool Papryus’ outfit is and tells you a story about how he waited outside Undyne’s door all night until she finally decided to ‘train’ him. But, when you begin to inquire more about his own life, he keeps it light. That just makes you more curious. Since he doesn’t seem keen on divulging details, you decide not to push it and follow his lead. So, you ‘keep it light’. Instead, you ask him what his interests and hobbies are. He replies that he mostly reads in his free time. He offers to ‘book’ it to the library with you, so you can use his card to ‘check out’ the selection. You laugh and suggest saving that for a later time.

You keep the questions at surface level. You ask him what he likes to eat, and what his favorite color is. Apparently, he’ll eat just about anything, only so long as it’s smothered in ketchup or mustard. When you ask him his favorite color, he momentarily becomes contemplative. He looks through you for a moment, as if he really has to think about it. Then, grins widely and replies, ‘blue.’ You think you should have guessed that by the color of his hoodie. He asks you the same questions, and the game continues on for a while, each of you circulating through tidbits of impersonal information and silly jokes.

Eventually, Sans has to get back to work. He stands, wondering how he ended up taking such a long break. You stand, too, preparing to leave with him. But he suddenly pauses and looks to you.

“by the way. i’m flat broke. you can foot the bill, right?” He places his hands in his pockets and begins walking towards the exit.

You gape at his back. Hadn’t he just said he would buy you lunch? You don’t have the money for it.

You turn to face the fiery owner behind the bar. He shakes his head and tells you it’s already on Sans’ tab. But, when you turn back around, Sans is gone.

Wait...

Fuck!

You run to the exit and burst out into the snow-covered streets of Snowdin. Sans is nowhere in sight.

He _ditched_ you.

He took you _all the way_ back to Snowdin... and he _ditched_  you.

You’re justifiably irritated.

You take a deep breath and begin stomping back towards the path leading out of town. But the more steps you take, the less heated you become. Rationality sets in. Maybe this is Sans trying to protect you. You still don’t know how to get past Undyne. And you still don’t know what lies East of here. You realize that you’re not prepared to leave Snowdin yet.

A few yards away is the library that Sans talked about. You decide to take a look inside. There’s bound to be something here to help you better understand what to expect.

…

You spend hours at the library, but you leave with more questions than when you arrived. You read about the forgotten history between monsters and humans, and some very cryptic information relating to ‘souls.’ By the time you step outside, its growing dark (you still haven’t figured that one out). So, you decide to follow through on your promise to Papyrus and spend another night at his house.

You knock on their door. Papyrus answers right away, overjoyed to see that you’ve arrived just in time for your next sleepover activity: ‘movie night’. Seeing his enthusiasm makes you almost glad Sans put you back at your starting point.

Well, almost. Because when you do see Sans, he’s smiling smugly at you from the couch. As if he knew you would come back. And when you glare at him, he just shrugs. The little shit.

But, overall, you’re not really upset anymore. So, when he smiles at you and pats the seat on the couch next to him, you move to comply.

“Hey. Thanks for dumping me here, by the way,” you say sarcastically as you approach the couch. But there’s obvious playfulness behind your tone.

“i wasn’t dumping you,” he says as you take a seat next to him. “i just thought you could use some _time and space_."

Damn, he caught you off guard.

You try giving him a fake ‘ha ha’, but you end up actually chuckling.

Papyrus enters the room with an armful of junk food and dumps it onto the coffee table. He explains that they went to the grocery store today to prepare for the other activity of the night: eating junk food. You laugh and agree about the importance of that one. On the table is a ton of ‘monster versions’ of some of your favorite snacks. You thank him and wonder aloud how he knew what your favorite food is. Papyrus admits that he didn’t pick them out. Sans did. You look over at Sans, but he’s watching the television as he scans through the inputs with the remote.

Secretly, you decide to forgive him. After all, you can't stay mad at someone who’s fed you twice today.

Papyrus turns off the lights and grabs a bundle of blankets. He throws them over the two of you then wedges himself onto the right side of the couch. You pick up a snack as the intro begins.

...

You’re able to stay up longer this time. You make it through one movie, which is a comedy, and are midway through the second by the time you get sleepy. This one is also a comedy. You note that they have a favorite genre. You like it, though. It suits them. And it makes the atmosphere in the house comfortable; especially with the consistent sound of Papyrus chuckling to himself. It’s also warm under the shared blankets. It’s all beginning to lull you to sleep. You slump your cheek into your hand over the arm rest as you find it harder to keep your eyes open.

…

The room is dark now, and you’re lying down. You peek your eyes open just long enough to see that you’re facing the back of the couch. You must have fallen asleep. Someone is pulling a blanket up over you. You’re too exhausted to care who it is.

A gentle hand pets the top your head.

It’s comforting, and intimate. But it only last for a moment.

You hear the person step away. And you fall back asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluff! ❤

### In Good Time

 

You end up staying with the skeletons for over a week.

  
You don't intend to, but both Papyrus and Sans hint that Undyne is aware that you’re in the Underground. And she’s looking for you. Even the townspeople are spreading rumors about a human. So, you decide to lie low for a while.

  
You also don’t mean to settle in so easily, but it just… sort of happens.

  
You end up buying yourself some extra clothes at the town shop and keep them folded neatly under the side table in the living room. You spend a lot of your free time at the library and perform odd jobs around town during the day to save money. You’ve also started doing chores around the house and making dinner for the boys as a way of repayment for taking over their couch. Neither of them seems to mind, though. In fact, they’ve already appeared to grow used to your presence.

  
Lately, you’ve been cooking breakfast for them in the morning. Most days, you get lunch at Grillby’s with Sans. Papyrus is constantly calling you to talk throughout the day. Sans greets you with some form of ‘honey, i'm home’ every evening, and Papyrus still insists that you have a ‘sleepover’ every night. You realize that you’re starting to become a normal part of their routine.

  
You kind of like it.

  
Maybe it’s another reason you’re still working up the courage to leave.

  
You’ve still been taking cautious trips towards Waterfall, trying to scope out the landscape. But you never travel too far. With Undyne on the lookout, you’re forced to keep your roaming mostly within Snowdin. It’s not a big place, but at least every day is a little different.

  
Today, you spent the morning shoveling snow in front of a few shops for gold and then decided to meet Sans at his post before going to lunch. Normally, you meet him at Grillby's: you walking and him just... appearing. But this morning he told you he would be at the sentry station in Snowdin, and you thought it would be fun to watch him work for once.

  
But when you arrive, you’re sorely disappointed. Because Sans isn’t working behind his counter. He’s sleeping behind it. At first, you thought no one was there at all. But when you walk around the back of the station, there’s your littlest skeleton: spine against the shelves, head down, out like a light.

  
You snicker and decide to prank him.

  
You take a ketchup bottle off the shelf behind him and slowly squeeze some into his open palm. Then you take a tassel from your hoodie and dust it across his face a few times. His brow bone scrunches up and he touches his hand to where his nose would be, smearing the ketchup. You laugh as he slowly wakes up and realizes what’s happened. You go to set the ketchup bottle back. But you can’t put it down.

  
It’s stuck to your hand.

  
Sans snickers at you.

  
“Oh, come on!” You cry as you shake your wrist, trying to rid yourself of the bottle. It won’t come off.

  
Sans chuckles louder.

  
You look at him and start chuckling uncontrollably. Soon you’re both laughing behind his sentry station for a good while. 

  
“Damn it, I thought I got you,” you lament, wiping away a stray tear with your free hand.

  
Sans is wiping the condiment off his face with a chuckle.

  
“i've been doin’ this for a long time, pal. looks like you're still playing _ketchup_."

  
You laugh as you shake your head at him.  
“I’ll get you eventually. I mean, I know where you live.”

  
“you got me there,” he shrugs with a smile. “i only know where you sleep.”

  
You think about that for only a moment. You already feel like you’re going to have a bad time.

  
“Okay, never mind. Truce.” You throw your hand out. There’s a split second where you remember Sans still has ketchup on his. You don’t have time to pull away before he’s slapping it into your hand.

  
“truce,” he agrees as he gives you a firm shake and a large grin. You pull away and look at your palm in disgust. You wipe it in the snow behind you.

  
“Okay, so how am I supposed to get this off?” you wave the bottle at him.

  
He pulls at it slowly. You let out a few sharp ‘ows’, but it eventually peels away.

  
“sorry, bud. i didn’t mean for it to hurt,” Sans apologizes earnestly as he looks over your palm in his. It's a bit red but you’re still wholly intact.

  
“Eh. No harm, no foul, right?” you shrug.

  
Sans smiles at you and slowly releases your hand. He takes a gulp from the ketchup bottle before putting it back under the counter. He stands and extends his arm down to you.

  
“so, grillby’s?” he offers.

  
“Sure,” you smile.

  
You take his hand and help pull yourself to your feet.

  
“cool. your treat,” he jokes.

  
You shove him.

  
…

  
Sans must realize that his ‘teleporting trick’ makes you uneasy, because he walks you to the restaurant instead of offering you a ‘short cut’ this time. You’re happy about that. Not only because you aren't being shoved through a worm hole again, but also because there's more time to hang out.

  
And you have to admit that you really do enjoy your time with Sans.

  
Even just walking alongside him is fun. He always has something interesting to talk about. The only subject he never seems eager to discuss is you getting back to surface. Much like with Toriel, you have a feeling he's not a fan of the topic. So, you’ve stopped asking. It just seems easier for everyone if you don’t dwell on it right now.

  
…

  
When you arrive at Grillby’s, Sans opens the door for you. But on the way to your regular seats at the bar, he gets stopped. The drunk bunny who always occupies the front booth latches onto Sans’ arm and begs him to sit with her. The way she’s holding onto him makes you a little uncomfortable. But Sans is clever. He turns her down in a joking and casual manner that she can’t be mad at. You inwardly applaud him as you take your seat.

  
He buys you a drink to make up for the ‘ketchup bottle incident' and you chat for a while. Somewhere in the conversation, you delve into science fiction. You find out that Sans knows quite a lot about physics. You're reminded of the quantum physics ‘joke book’ he keeps lying around and realize that it must actually be put to good use.

  
“So, you’re basically just a huge nerd,” you tease.

  
He chuckles.

  
“hey, i did warn you that my brother is the cool one."

  
“I don’t know... You’re pretty popular around here,” you smirk. “The bunny seems to think you’re cool, anyway.”

  
Sans’ smile widens.

  
“ya jealous there, pal?” he questions.

  
You roll your eyes.

  
“’cause ya don't haveta worry,” he assures you. “besides, i think she only wants to jump my bones.”

  
You nearly spit out the sip you just took. You can't help laughing. You should have seen that coming. And now he knows another one of your weaknesses: dirty jokes.

  
Sans looks overly pleased with himself.

  
“anyway, i don’t care about popularity,” he adds. “so long as i have a few good friends to _ketchup_ with.”

  
You’re trying really hard not to laugh too loudly. Somehow, you still manage to chortle out your question.

  
“Are you sure you’re not just hanging out with me because you have _no body_?”

  
Sans is grinning. You find yourself really liking the way he looks at you when you make a pun. You make a note to study that joke/quantum physics book for yourself.

  
“nope. i actually really like hanging out with you. body or _nobody_ ,” he grins, but then pauses while he contemplates. “too bad there's not much time, though.”

  
He takes a long pause. You think he’s going to tell another joke: but it doesn’t come. You’re a bit thrown off. Even more so when Sans suddenly begins to stand up.

  
“ ‘cause my break is over,” he finally explains with a wink.

  
He finishes the last of his drink and sets the glass down on the bar. His hands go into his pockets.

  
“see ya at home.”

  
“Yeah... see ya,” you reply.

  
For a second you think he’s going to say something else, but he just turns and walks out.

  
You’re left feeling rather confused.

  
…

  
You finish up some small jobs in town and decide to go shopping for dinner. When you get home with the groceries, Papyrus is already there. He’s running around the house doing small chores and explains that he also just arrived home from his ‘training’. You still don’t really know what that entails, or what he actually does with his days, but he seems to keep busy.

The real mystery is how he manages to always have so much energy and enthusiasm... You can't keep up with his quick cleaning, so instead, you start dinner. 

  
San’s comes home less enthusiastic, but still cheery as usual. He jokingly asks you ‘what’s cooking, good lookin’, when he enters the kitchen. You playfully scoff and hand him a plate. The three of you sit at the couch in the living room to watch tv while you eat.

  
And it hits you suddenly. While you’re sitting here, eating dinner, watching a robot comedy show with two skeleton brothers; it hits you that you haven’t even considered leaving for the past few days.

  
You glance to your right at Papyrus, who is laughing at the tv in between bites of the food you made.

  
You look over to your left at Sans. He notices and smiles warmly at you.

  
You smile back. But you feel sad. You focus on your plate.

  
“whatsup, bud?” Sans asks you quietly.

  
You're not really sure. It takes you a long moment to find the answer.

  
“I... don’t want to leave... just yet,” you realize, almost inaudibly.

  
Sans contemplates for a short while. When he finally answers, his tone is definite.

  
“then don’t.”

You look to him. He’s watching you with his same smile, but there’s a touch of seriousness in his eyes that you’ve rarely ever seen.

  
“stay as long as you want.”

  
He makes it sound so simple. But maybe it can be.

Afterall, you can decide.

  
He said there wasn’t much time.

  
But it can’t hurt to take just a little more.

  
...right?

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

### Truth Behind the Lines

 

You decide to stay longer.

  
And since you’re going to be bumming off the brothers some more, you want to at least _try_ to contribute to the household income. So, the next morning, you go searching for a job.

  
There aren’t many places to work in Snowdin. Most of the locals already found their niche. But you ask around anyway. Eventually, you hear about a family of reptile monsters looking for a babysitter. You go to their house to apply for the position.

  
The parents are nice. You realize that you’ve seen their kid running around town before, but you've rarely interacted with him. He’s really sweet. He’s also crazy energetic and super clumsy. You can tell right away that you’re going to have your work cut out for you.

  
You try getting to know him during the interview. He prefers to go by the nickname MK and, as it turns out, he's a huge fan of Undyne: just like Papyrus. You have a feeling they would get along great.

  
The interview doesn’t take too long. And the family seems to like you. You leaving thinking you may have a chance at a new job.

  
And your assumption is later confirmed that afternoon when the parents call, asking you to babysit tonight. They want to go on an impromptu date. You accept the job and head over. The boys are still at work (or whatever they do all day), so you call Papyrus to tell him you’ll be out late. Papyrus is ecstatic that you obtained a job and commends you on not picking up lazy habits from his brother. He sounds busy, though. He tells you he’ll see you at home tonight and hangs up. You think about letting Sans know too, but you don’t think he has a number. The only time it was ever mentioned, he said he only had a cell _bone_. You hadn’t asked further questions.

  
But you figure Papyrus will let him know.

  
...

  
The gig goes well. You play games with MK and let him stay up a little longer than his bedtime. He thinks you’re ‘super cool’ for it. And he's almost asleep on the couch by you time you call for him to go to bed. He goes willing. It’s actually pretty easy. Except you end up babysitting a lot longer than you anticipated.

  
The kid is asleep in his room when his parent finally arrive. They’re a bit tipsy; it looks like they had fun. And they pay you pretty well, so you’re not very upset by their unpunctuality. You put on your coat and wave goodbye as you walk out the door.

  
It’s pretty dark. You just realize that there aren’t many lights in Snowdin as you start walking. Your only illumination is pouring out of the windows in the sparse buildings, so you have to move slowly. And it's extremely quiet. Then, for a split second, you think you hear something behind you. But when you look back, you see no one. It’s eerie, and you’re reasonably a little spooked. You feel your fear crawling down the back of your neck as the hairs raise.

  
It's that same fear that makes you jump when you turn back around. You had almost run into a shadowy figure. You gasp and your hand flies to your chest. You’re momentarily frozen with shear terror. Until you make out who it is.

  
“howzit going, pal.”

  
Of course, it’s Sans. You don’t know anyone else who can sneak up on you so well. And he looks rather pleased for someone who nearly made you leap out of your skin.

  
“Geez, you scared the hell out of me,” you breath out. “What are you doing?

  
“i was lookin’ for ya,” he shrugs. “thought i'd walk ya home.” He sounds causal enough, and he’s still smiling, but he somehow seems a bit on edge too.

  
“Oh… well, thanks,” you sigh, finally catching your breath.

  
As he begins to walk alongside you, you realize something doesn’t quite add up.

  
“Wait...but how did you know where I was?” you question. “I don’t think I told Papyrus...”

  
Sans actually looks just the slightest bit sheepish. He glances at you as he keeps walking.

  
“i didn’t,” he admits. “paps is out tonight, too.”

  
“Oh.”

  
Ohhh…

  
Shit.

  
That must mean Papyrus didn’t tell him after all. He must have been worried when you didn’t come home and came looking.

  
“Shit, I’m sorry. I thought he would let you know...” you hurriedly apologize.

  
“s’ok. just glad you're safe, buddy.”

  
You feel bad.

  
But also sort of touched.

  
And as sweet as the gesture is, you still have to tease him about it. It’s too perfect.

  
“So, you ran around looking for me?” you pry, innocently.

Sans must hear the tone in your voice, because he's already starting to grin when his eyes meet yours.

  
“Geez, I hope you weren’t too rattled.”

  
He chuckles. God, the way he looks at you when you make lame jokes with him…

  
“well, ya did scare me, bud.” He admits. “thought my heart leaped out of my chest. but now...i'm starting to think ya stole it.”

  
He winks at you.

  
You try to hide a smile as you shake your head. Ever since he realized you'd laugh at all of his dirty jokes and pickup lines, he's been layering them into almost every conversation. You try not to encourage the mild flirting. But you haven't really been doing a great job. Especially when you keep chuckling… You just can’t help yourself.

  
“Hm, I think you could _pick up_ some better lines.” You pretend to be unimpressed. But you’re not a very good actor. You’re definitely smiling.

  
Sans’ eyes glimmer. He looks utterly mischievous.

  
“no worries, bud... i've got a _ton_.”

  
Okay…

  
So, maybe challenging him wasn’t the best idea.

  
…

  
Papyrus arrives home only minutes after you and Sans. He explains that he was watching a cartoon marathon with his friends. Then he proceeds to explain the show; the plot sounds like it belongs in a cheesy anime. But you’re glad he seems to be spending time with more people he can call his friend. At least he's reaching towards his popularity goal without ‘human hunting'.

  
By the end of his story, you’re pretty tired. You hope the late time will get you out of sleepover procedures for the night. But Papyrus is thorough when it comes to his routine. He asks you to rattle off more activities; you can't say no to him.

  
As you go through the list, one idea catches his attention. A game called ‘truth or dare’. You kind of regret bringing it up. But Papyrus is already starry eyed.

  
Sans says he thinks it will be fun.

  
Now you're really regretting it.

  
You can't find a bottle, but Papyrus has a board game with a spinner arrow. You figure it will work well enough. The three of you sit on the living room floor in a circle, and you each take turns spinning.

  
…

  
It's only a few rounds into the game, and Sans is already fucking with you.

  
Almost every turn, Sans’ spin lands on you. If you pick truth, he only asks you questions that lead to pick up lines. And if you chose dare, he dares you to give him your next turn. You have to admit that most of his pick ups lines are pretty funny. But the fact that you're being held hostage makes you want to get him back. And it seems like Papyrus wants to help you.

  
It's his turn now, and his arrow points to you.  
You pick truth.

  
He thinks for a moment, then laughs triumphantly.

  
“SO. HUMAN. DO YOU REALLY THINK MY BROTHER'S JOKES ARE FUNNY? OR ARE YOU ONLY BEING POLITE? YOU MUST ANSWER TRUTHFULLY!”

  
You snicker at that. You’re sure you know what he wants you to say. But you do have to be truthful.

  
“I find _most_ of them funny,” you answer, keeping your eyes on Papyrus. You're trying not to look at Sans. You don't want to encourage him further.

  
The tall skeleton lets out a huff. You're right. It’s not the answer he was looking for.

  
“But, don't worry, Papyrus,” you slyly assure him. “I've always been told I have bad tastes in jokes.”

  
“OBVIOUSLY.” Papyrus initially agrees with you, but then looks regretful. “ERR. NO OFFENSE.”

  
You just laugh. But Sans comes to your defense.

  
“i think you have great tastes in jokes.” He grins. “Papyrus just doesn’t have the stomach for it.”

  
He finger guns towards his brother. Everyone's eyes are drawn to Papyrus's empty rib cage.

  
Papyrus groans and complains. You try not to laugh too obnoxiously as you fumble with the spinner. Sans just smiles at you.

  
…

  
On the next round, Papyrus’ spin lands on you again. You change it up this time by asking for dare. He grins like the cat who caught the canary.

  
“HUMAN!” he booms, triumphantly. “I DARE YOU TO TELL SANS THAT YOU DO NOT THINK HIS PUNS ARE FUNNY.”

  
Papyrus laughs. You laugh too. Then you try to hold a serious face as you turn to Sans.

  
“I don’t think your puns are funny.”

  
It’s hard to keep your smile at bay, but you think you’re doing a fair job under the circumstances.

  
Sans doesn’t appear fazed. He's still smiling as he shrugs.

  
“hm. sounds like you lost a funny _bone_ , pal.”

  
You're trying to keep a straight face. So you playfully roll your eyes.

  
“but don't worry,” he smirks. “i can give you one later, if you want.”

  
Your jaw drops in shocked amusement. You're not sure which surprises you more: the fact that he just directed a sexual pun at you, or the fact that you still found it hilarious.

  
You give a short huff of laughter and bow your head into your hands. You’re trying not to crack.

  
“Oh my god,” you groan into your lap. But you can’t keep the chuckle out of your voice. You’re trying so hard not to encourage him that your cheeks hurt. Even worse, you can see him between your fingers. And he still looks overly satisfied with himself. If you’re being completely honest, it was a pretty good one. But you're not going to tell him that.

  
“That was a bad one, Sans. Even for you,” you're finally able to reprimand.

  
“YES! IT WAS A BAD ONE,” Papyrus elects. “BECAUSE I DON’T GET IT.”

  
You’re extremely relieved for that.

  
..

  
The game goes on for two more rounds before your spin finally lands on Sans.

  
He choses dare.

  
Perfect.

  
You dare him not to make any more jokes for the rest of the game.

  
Papyrus laughs.

  
Sans doesn’t seem to mind. He readily agrees.

You're a little disappointed that you didn't get a better reaction.

  
…

  
It's the next round, and Sans’ arrow lands on you again. You’re starting to suspect that he’s somehow rigged the game.

  
You pick truth. You don’t want to give him anymore of your spins. He thinks for a minute.

  
“d’ya like raisins?” he asks.

  
You answer hesitantly. “They're okay, I guess?"

But then there’s that look in his eye…

  
“howzabout a date?”

  
You groan while smiling. But at least you got him.

  
“Ha! I said no more jokes!”

  
He doesn’t look the slightest bit perturbed.

  
“i wasn’t jokin’.”

  
You don’t know how to respond to that.

  
Lucky, Papyrus answers for you.

  
“SANS, I DON’T THINK WE HAVE ANY DATES. BUT I CAN GO TO THE STORE TOMORROW IF THE HUMAN PREFERS THEM!”

  
“Uh... that’s okay, Papyrus." You manage to shake out of your surprise.

  
Sans yawns and changes the subject.

  
“speaking of tomorrow.” He points at the clock on the wall. It reads midnight. “it’s getting late, bro.”

  
Papyrus agrees that it is time for bed, and goes to put away the spinner.

  
You’re temporarily left alone with the short skeleton. And you’re well aware that you haven’t answered his question. You’re still not even sure if he’s serious. It wouldn't surprise you if he only said it to make you flustered.

  
But he's not chuckling. He's just looking at you.

  
“so. we still on for grillby’s tomorrow?

  
You’re not sure what that’s suppose to mean. You always have lunch with him at Grillby’s. Maybe this is just him teasing you. Or maybe you’re just reading to far too into this.

  
“Yeah. Of course,” you reply with a bit of confusion.

  
“cool.” He just smiles, not giving away a thing.

  
Papyrus pops back into the room to retrieve Sans for bedtime stories. They both tell you goodnight and head upstairs. You make your bed and turn off the lights.

  
You can finally rest your head on your pillow.

  
You’re extremely tired, but you can't fall asleep.

  
You suddenly feel too nervous.

  
... And you kind of like it.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, I am so sorry for the long wait guys!
> 
> I'm going to try to be better at this... Please forgive me! 
> 
> And encourage... please encourage lol

### Picking Up Lines

 

The next morning, you have breakfast with your skeletons. 

Both Sans and Papyrus seem the same as usual. Unfortunately, you don’t. You’re trying very hard not to let what Sans said last night affect your behavior. Though, annoyingly, he doesn’t seem to be fazed in the slightest.  

You find yourself short of words during breakfast. Even Papyrus makes a comment about it, which only makes you more nerve wrecked. 

Luckily, you don’t have to sit in your own awkwardness for too long; you receive a call from MK’s parents in the middle of your meal. You excuse yourself to take the call into the living room.  

Apparently, the family is very excited to hire you on full-time. So, you finish your food, while telling the boys about the good news. Shortly, you take your leave to discuss work hours and payment at your new job. 

The first thing the parents do upon your arrival is express how happy they are to finally have a nanny. MK is home schooled, along with the other children of the town. So, you assume his parents are ready to take a little break. They even offer to pay you more to help with his school curriculum. You’re afraid that the Underground might have a different learning system than you’re used to, so you offer to take a look at his studies and come back with your decision. 

You stay for a while to sit in on his ‘school’. It doesn’t seem too different from any other elementary curriculum, aside from some ‘monster history’ you’ve never heard about. And MK seems happy that you’ll be able to hang out more. You feel proud that he likes you. He really is a sweet kid. Hyper, yes, but sweet.  

You think you might be able to do this. 

MK and his mother leave for the library to meet up with the other parents and kids for group studies.  She asks if you can start full-time tomorrow. The parents want to take a day trip. You agree. Maybe you can schedule a play date with Papyrus. Thinking about... it actually sounds really fun. You’ve been bored just taking care of the house and doing small jobs. Some actual, steady, work sounds like the stimulus you've been waiting for.  

It’s almost lunch time, so you say goodbye and head out with some ‘reading material’. You were given a folder with a schedule for the Snowdin Home School Program and some upcoming assignments. You begin to look over them as you walk towards Grillby’s to meet Sans. But you have to put the papers back away when your cell phone rings. You fumble to pull it out and see that you’re getting a call from a hidden number. You wonder if its Papyrus trying to get a hold of you. A small part of you hopes it's Toriel. But when you answer, you think you recognize the voice as someone else. 

“hey. is your refrigerator running?” 

You smile and try not to audibly chuckle. Good thing years of childhood practical joking has prepared you for this one. 

“Nah,” you answer, casually. “He’s just chilling.” 

There’s a palpable pause.  

Suddenly, you hear a brief snort on the other end, and the caller immediately hangs up. You can't help but laugh aloud now. Sans is usually super composed in person, but he couldn’t even stay on the line. You’re proud that you’ve finally managed to catch him off his guard; in fact, you think you might have broken him. You can't wait to see the look on his face.  

... 

You finally spot him, standing outside of Grillby’s with his hands in pockets. You’re both still smiling largely as you approach him. 

“hey, bud,” he says easily, but by the look on his face, he’s about to crack.  

You can’t take it any longer and you burst out laughing; He can’t help but join you. 

This is good. This is back to normal. You silently applaud him for his little icebreaker. It makes it easier for you to speak to him like a regular person again.  

“So, I take it you’re the one who called me?” you ask, with amusement still in your voice.  

“not sure what ya mean there, pal,” he lies quite obviously as he rocks back on his heels. 

You shake your head.  

“You know I can see right through you, right?” you chuckle. Sans lights up at your skeleton pun. It’s one you stole from his joke book, but he still seems pleased to hear it. As he smiles back, a realization hits you. 

Wait, how did you call me?” you tilt your head at him. You didn’t think he had a phone.  

He pulls a cell phone out of his pocket and flashes it at you, before placing it right back into his jacket. 

“You have a phone?” you ask in incredulity. It’s the first time you’re hearing about this. 

“why? ya want my number?” he winks to you. Then holds his palm out, asking for your cell. 

You can tell he's just changing the subject by playing coy, but you roll your eyes as you take the bait anyway. You hand it over and he types something in. When you get your phone back you see that he's put his number in it under the name ‘lazybones' with a heart emoji.  

You don’t bother changing it. And he opens the door for you. 

… 

Lunch is pretty normal. Although you’re still hyperaware that you have yet to talk about last night.  

At least you’re able to face him causally now; you we’re afraid that things would be awkward after that anxiety ridden breakfast. But you should have known Sans wouldn’t let that happen. He’s admittedly very good at pulling you out of your thoughts. 

Instead, you talk about the papers you brought and your new job as a full-time babysitter. When you mention the school curriculum, Sans offers to become your ‘monster history’ tutor.  

You take him up on the offer.  

It’s not until you bring up the topic of his phone that your heart races again. 

“So, I have a question,” you begin slowly. 

“shoot.” 

“Have you always had a phone? I’ve never seen you on it.” 

Sans pauses for a moment before answering. He slowly puts down the ketchup bottle he’s stealing gulps out of, and smiles at you. 

“actually, i just got it.” 

“Like... just today?” you chuckle.  

“yep. ...what's so funny?” You started laughing, and he couldn’t seem to help but chuckle along with you. 

“Well, it’s just sort of funny that you didn’t have one before. I mean, Papyrus has one.” 

“didn’t need one before,” he shrugs and takes another gulp of the ketchup.  

That made sense. Being able to essentially teleport meant that communication could be instantaneous without the use of a cell phone. But... 

“But you needed one now?” you wonder playfully with some disbelief.  

“yeah so that next time you have to go for a walk at night, you can give me a call. I'll walk you home.” He winks, playing it off like it’s just a joke.  

You can tell it’s really not. So, you smile just to yourself. 

...  

After lunch, you both step outside to say goodbye, per usual. But Sans seems to have other ideas. He stops you before you can give him your farewell.  

“so, ’bout that date...” 

He says it so bluntly that you hardly have time to blush. And before you have time to respond, he’s already continuing. Your gaze falls everywhere but directly at him. 

“there’s a show tonight that i'd like to take you to. if ya want to go.” 

Finally, you’re able to bring yourself to look at him. He seems a little unsure of himself as he rubs the vertebrae on the back of his neck. He’s smiling, but you can tell he’s kind of nervous too. It prompts you to swallow your own insecurity- if not for his sake, at least.  You realize you still haven’t answered as you continue to awkwardly meet his eyes.  

“Yeah, um, sure,” you chuckle out a wavering response. You can feel the butterflies dancing in your stomach as you press forward. “That sounds really fun. I... didn’t know there were any shows in Snowdin.” You try at changing the subject, before you melt from the heat on your face. 

“’s not in snowdin,” he replies with a hint of mischief. “i figured it would be fun a take a little trip.” 

You can’t help the wide smile pulling at your lips. That does sound fun. You’ve been too afraid to explore the Underground on your own. But with Sans with you, you would feel a lot safer.  

“A change of scenery would be nice,” you lament. “Snowdin is great, but it would be coolto go somewhere else, for a change.” 

“unfortunately, ‘s a little on the warm side,” he shrugs with his usual sly smile. “ya won’t find any place cooler than snowdin.”  

You hadn’t meant that slip of the tongue. But he caught it all the same. You laugh and slap his shoulder lightly.  

“That’s not what I meant,” you playfully reprimand. 

He takes the scolding with grace and a chuckle. 

“so, tonight around eight?” he confirms. You nod.  

“Sure.” 

“ _cool. s_ ee ya at home.” 

Before he disappears, you attempt to hit him with a snow ball. 

... 

A few minutes into your trek home, and you feel your pocket buzz.  

You’ve received a text message. And you can guess who it’s from before you even look down. 

 

\--- 

 _lazybones <3:  _ 

 _i_ _think you’ll fit right into this place. it’s pretty hot there, too._  

\---

 

You mask your desire to squeal with an audible groan. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I actually wrote this chapter a reeaally long time ago. Like, right after/same time as Chapter 8. But, for some reason, I didn't like it. I wanted to change it, got writers block, started a new fic for Mystic Messenger for funsies, and then died, I guess, lol
> 
> I reread it just now and thought it was alright. There's some minor things I still wish I could change, but I don't really know how yet... So, I thought I'd give you all this one and just move on. It. is. time. 
> 
> I know the wait was long, for no reason, but I hope you still enjoyed it ^^; 
> 
> And as always, Thank you for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

### Date Night Lights

 

Upon arriving home, you realize that you don’t have many suitable outfits for a date.  

Thankfully, after rummaging around in your clothes stack, you find a dress that you bought a few days ago on a whim. 

It’s causal, but it will have to do. You attempt to compensate for the outfit by being especially meticulous with your hair and makeup. 

You’re trying hard not to focus on the reality of situation at hand, but truthfully, the more you think about it, the more this date is probably a bad idea.  

You don’t know how long you’re going to be staying down here. You live with the guy. You’ve only known him for a little more than a week... And he’s technically a monster.  

There are so many red flags. But that doesn’t change the fact that you still desperately want to go out with him tonight. 

You push down your doubts to continue getting ready. It’s a little easier to accomplish when Papyrus burst into the house and begins bombarding you with questions about your change in appearance. He’s a bit disappointed when he hears that you might not have time for sleep over activities. But you promise to play if he’s still up when you and Sans return from the show.  

Your face feels warm when he congratulates you on your ‘date’: even though you hadn’t mentioned the word aloud at all. 

... 

You’re helping Papyrus prepare his signature spaghetti dinner when Sans comes home.  

You turn towards the door upon hearing a wolf whistle and catch the skeleton's pleased smirk.  

“well... if you’re gonna look that nice, i should probably get dressed up, too.” He shrugs with his left eye socket closed.  

You roll your eyes with a smile as he languidly makes his way up the stairs to his room. Just as soon as you hear the door shut, it’s opening again. Sans saunters down wearing his same hoodie, but with a button up, and actual pants and shoes. And he’s still, somehow, able to fill them out just as well as his other clothes. 

You chuckle as he does a showy spin in the living room: hands in his coat pockets and a big goofy grin on his face. You and Papyrus both clap to humor him. 

‘ready, babe?’ He asks causally as he offers his elbow out to you. You notice the new nickname and it catches you off guard. He’s never called you that before. In that moment, you really wish you had something more clever prepared besides turning pink, nodding your head in affirmation, and taking him by the arm. 

You both say your good byes to Papyrus while you go to grab your winter coat before heading out the door. But Sans stops you. He tells you won't need it. Instead, he gives you his own and helps you into it. 

… 

Upon exiting the house, you assume that Sans is simply going to teleport you, but it seems he has something else in mind. When you question where you’re headed, he only comments back that you’ll see.  

Instead, he leads you up to the river front, where a small ferry boat is waiting - along with a hooded figure. You don’t think you’ve met them before, and you greet them as you climb into the boat. Despite how ominous they initially appear, they still seem rather friendly.  

The ferry moves incredibly fast for having no paddles or motor. You can only guess that more magic is involved. You have to continue to hold Sans’ arm to not feel like you’re going to fly out. 

When you reach your destination, you immediately note how hot it is. Incredibly hot, actually. Sans takes his jacket back from you when you mention the temperature change, and he puts it on himself again. You suppose, as someone with no skin, he really wouldn’t be bothered by the heat or the cold very much. He winks at you and comments that the Hotlands are still not as hot as you.

You inwardly blame the reddening of your cheeks on the sweltering weather.  

...

He guides you on a lava rock path until you’re faced with what appears to be an elevator. You both ride it to an undisclosed floor.

And, of course, Sans’ breaks the awkward elevator silence by cracking bad puns. You can’t hold back giggling when he admits that he loves telling jokes on elevators because they’re funny on so many levels.  

Chuckling your way out of the opening doors, you look forward to see a large, eloquent building towering in front of you. You follow Sans inside. Judging by the interior, you assume it’s some sort of fancy hotel. You continue to trail close behind until you enter into a high-ceilinged ballroom. 

Upon admiring the ambiance, you can’t help but gawk in awe.

The setting is beautiful. There are many small dining tables, all lit with single, white candles. The banquet hall is dim, with tiny, sparkling lights strung all around; they illuminate the corners and hang over a large stage near the front of the room. Many monsters are present, seated or standing near their seats, as they chatter away with an air of delighted anticipation. You rotate as you take it all in. Then, you meet Sans’ gaze again. With how brightly he’s smiling to you, he really looks like he belongs here, among all the splendor. 

Sans maneuvers you through the bustle to an empty table only a few tables away from the stage. He pulls out your chair, and you both sit down to order a light, pre-show meal.  

Well, Sans doesn’t order anything. But, when your food arrives, the waiter still brings him a bottle of ketchup. As it seems, everyone knows him here, too. So, he must really be popular, even outside of Snowdin. He’s making jokes with the wait staff and some of the monsters at the tables nearby. But mostly, he seems more intent on having your attention than theirs.  

“how’s the food?” he asks you over the candle light.  

“Really good!” you compliment after swallowing a mouthful. “Are there other places like this in the Underground? I’d love to explore more.” 

“you should travel with me, pal. i know all the best places,” he winks. 

“That sounds fun... I’d like to see as much as I can before I leave,” you admit without thinking. 

Sans still smiles as always, but his animated energy seems to dim a touch. Despite this, he speaks to coolly.

“you still thinkin’ about going back, huh?” 

You look to him with a bit of confusion. Of course. You couldn’t stay here forever. 

“Well... yes. I mean, I need to go back eventually...”

You haven’t been thinking about it much in the past week, but you really should start working on a way out. You’ve been shirking all of your responsibilities back on the surface... People are probably looking for you... 

Sans’ respond momentarily relieves you of your guilt-ridden thoughts. 

“you must really wanna go home... hey, i know the feeling, buddo,” he admits quite soberly, despite the smile. “but, ya’ know. sometimes it’s better to take what’s given to ya.” He shrugs carelessly and his grin comes back at full force. 

He’s saying you should just give up? It seems this defeated perspective of his is drawn from personal experience. From what you’ve gathered during your stay in the Underground, it’s beginning to appear that the monsters can’t actually leave. Although, you’ve never asked directly.  

“What do you mean by that?” you cautiously wonder.

“i just mean, what else could ya need? when you have good food, good drinks, good friends...” he pauses as the main lights to the ballroom are dimmed even further. 

“... good entertainment.” Sans finishes deliberately.  

On perfect cue, the stage lights suddenly brighten, and everyone in the audience begins clapping. Your attention is drawn to the stage where an announcer takes to the mic stand. He begins introducing the first act of the night, and the performer walks out to another round of applause. 

It’s a stand-up comedy show.

You look to Sans with delight at the realization, and he’s smiling back at you warmly. Your unanswered questions fall to the back of your mind as you watch the first few acts go up. The performances are really fun and humorous. You can’t help but laugh along with the crowd. 

Near the end, a creature that looks a lot like Snowdin’s Snow Drake finishes up his performance, and the announcer takes the mic again to prepare the audience for the final comedian.  

“And now, please put your hands together for our most anticipated act of the night: SANS THE SKELETON!” 

The crowd bursts into a cheer.

In amused surprise you turn to look to Sans. But his chair is empty.

When swivel your head back up to the stage, he’s already there, taking the microphone off its stand and winking in your direction. He hasn’t said a word yet, and you’ve already begun to laugh.  

… 

Sans’ set is amazing. It’s mostly one liners, and short, not-so-thoughtful anecdotes, but every joke hits. Every monster in the room is howling by the time he delivers his last line and thanks the audience. He exits stage left, but is in his seat next to you in the very next moment. You’re still laughing at his last joke when he appears, only half-startling you. You cover your mouth to try to stifle yourself.

It doesn’t work, but he doesn’t seem to mind.  

“d’ya like it?” he asks with a wide grin.  

You can only nod your head as you cry a few laughing tears into your hands. 

… 

You’re filing out of the hotel with the crowd as many monsters stop Sans to positively comment on his set. You feel a little like you’re following around a minor celebrity. And you vaguely catch yourself thinking, that if Sans is truly stuck in his situation, he really is doing a good job of making the best of it.  

When the crowd finally thins out, your personal comedian begins to lead you back towards the ferry. You start walking beside him, but he silently stops you to point to your hand.  

“that looks heavy,” he says causally.  

You’re very confused. It must show in your expression, because Sans’ sly grin widens.  

“you should lemme hold it for ya.” 

You laugh aloud and shake your head. But you place your hand in his, anyway.  

He seems rather pleased as he smiles up at you. And his fingers intertwine with yours so fluidly. You silently note how comfortable this all is. It’s a wonder that you don’t even feel nervous anymore; it just feels right.  

You’re smiling, but don’t voice your thoughts about it. Sans leisurely leads you back to the boat.  

… 

Back in Snowdin, you once again don Sans’ jacket for the trek back to the house. You’re feeling pleasantly tired. And Sans’ hand is still surprisingly warm in yours, despite the cold weather. It should seem odd, but you’re feeling too blissful to question much of anything. 

 That is, until you get to the door of his house, and your date pauses. 

“end of the night,’ he states. “hope ya had fun, hun,”   

“Sans... we’re going to the same place,” you point out with a chuckle.  

“yeah. but paps is waiting on the other side of this door,” he jabs the thumb bone of his free hand towards the house. “so, might as well say goodnight now.” 

“He’s... what...?” you can’t even form the question. 

Before you can compile a complete and cohesive thought, Sans brings the back of your hand up to his mouth. You think the touch will be hard and rough, but somehow, it’s soft. It actually does feel like he’s placed a kiss there.  

And just as soon as he drops your hand, the front door swings open, wildly.  

“THERE YOU TWO ARE!” Papyrus shouts, suddenly standing in the doorway. “YOU TOOK FOREVER! I ALREADY HAVE THE NEXT ACTIVITY WELL PREPARED!” he laughs with pride. 

Everything has happened so immediately that you’re still blinking as you catch up. Sans chuckles at your dumbstruck expression and walks inside, leaving you stumped in the doorway.  

“sorry, bro. didn't mean to keep you waitin’.” 

You trail after him as Papyrus is springing all around you like a puppy greeting visitors, while he explains the night’s scheduled activities. Your eyes are drawn to the living room where an uncountable number of unique board games are covering the floor. You don’t think you could walk across the room without stepping on them if you tried. 

You’re still feeling a bit bewildered, so you look to Sans for guidance. He’s already been watching you and only grins larger before asking Papyrus which game he would like to play first.  

You can tell it’s going to be a long night.  

But looking over to Papyrus’ glimmering eyes, and Sans’ beaming smile, you’re suddenly filled with a dazzling amount of determination. 

And, ever joyously, the games begin. 

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh the writers block is real with transition chapters DX
> 
> Sorry this took so long for such little pay-off... but the next chapter will be more interesting and should be out soon!
> 
> Thanks for sticking with me guys!

### Play Dating Start!

 

The next morning passes by rather quickly.  

Probably because you’ve been very busy babysitting... and texting with a certain silly skeleton. 

You’ve accepted the task of guiding MK through his curriculum. So, you’ve developed a new routine. In the morning, you help the kid with his homework, before dropping him off at the library for group studies.  

And although you’ve been rushing around this morning, you still can’t resist replying to every little flirty message from Sans. The attention is simply addictive. You’ve been chatting with him non-stop all day, yet neither of you have attempted a serious conversation about where this relationship is heading. You realize it’s probably better this way. At least for now, you can pretend that nothing has changed. 

Well, sort of. 

Because, the waves of silly pick lines on your phone haven’t stopped since last night.  

And you can’t argue that you want them to. 

However, once it’s time for MK’s group sessions, you decide not to be rude and silence your phone as you walk MK into to the library.  

The parents and children of the group greet you both as you walk in. Everyone there is very welcoming. They keep embellishing on how happy they are to have you become a part of their little community. 

During the initial announcements you pay close attention. In a few short minutes, you learn a lot about the nature of their town’s school program. According to the schedule, it seems that each parent picks a subject to focus on for group studies and acts as the teacher for the day. This way, the other parents can have a break. So, after the small introduction, you have a few hours to kill before you need to pick up MK again.  

You text Sans about your schedule as you’re leaving the building. And nearly run into him waiting outside the doors only seconds later. 

“Oh! Um, hey,” you chuckle upon seeing him smiling up to you. “What are you doing here?”  

“ya mentioned having some time. wanna grab lunch?” He takes a hand out of his pocket to jab a bony thumb in the direction of Grillby’s. 

“Sure,” you laugh. 

“cool. thanks for treating me.” he teases 

So naturally, you stick your tongue out at him in defiance. 

You try to remind yourself that everything is normal, and you coax yourself into acting as such. Up until you begin walking, and Sans casually captures your hand. For the rest of the walk, you can only focus on trying to calm the butterflies in your stomach. 

And, despite the hand holding and the flirtatious glances, your lunch break with Sans really is the same as usual.  You make jokes and tease each other the  entirety of the time. Only talking about minor personal matters here and there. For some reason, you thought this might be more awkward after your date. But i t’s a wonder how natural it feels.

You’re still trying to shake away thoughts of Sans and focus on homework as you sit at with MK at his home and go over a review of his school work. It proves somewhat difficult with the skeleton’s constant texts.  

When MK is finished with his studies for the day, you take him to your house to wait until his parents to arrive home.  

Secretly, you’ve arranged a play date.  

You’ve asked Papyrus to arrive home early, so you can introduce him to MK. 

And, just as planned, they get along immediately- their shared obsession with Undyne and impressive amounts of energy creating an immediate sense of camaraderie. 

The three of you play games for hours. You have a snowball fight, where you get pelted in the face while caught playing on your phone. Papyrus and MK play hide and seek as you watch from the sidelines. Then, as you’re all building snowmen, your flirty skeleton himself shows up to join. 

You assist MK in building a basic, three-tiered snow-person. Papyrus’ full-size bust of himself is quite life-like. And Sans even participates by patting snow into a heap and drawing his name on it. 

The play date ends with you all walking MK back home. Along the way, the bouncing child expresses how eager he is to hang out with Papyrus, you and Sans again after school tomorrow.  

Papyrus is just as elated.  

… 

That evening, Sans helps you cook. He asks to take over chopping onions for you, since the vapors don’t seem to affect him at all. You thank him, needing a break from involuntarily crying.  

And... he’s not terrible at it. You question why he doesn’t often cook supper. 

“i’ve been told i cook better in the mornin’,” he winks to you. 

You see what he’s getting at, and you laugh.  

“That pick-up line doesn’t really work if I already come home with you every night.” 

“I gotta keep you coming back somehow,” he grins down at his chopping board. 

You glance to him with a playful smile. 

“Well… if that’s the case, then I'll take you up on the offer. Now I expect breakfast in the morning,” you challenge. 

“chocolate or strawberries?” he asks. 

“...What?”  

“in your pancakes tomorrow,” Sans replies with a smug smile. 

You almost want to be annoyed at how you can never fluster him, but you’re simply too impressed by his smoothness.  

“Surprise me,” you giggle.   

… 

After dinner, you and the boys tell scary stories during your sleepover. You each hold a flashlight up to your faces as you take turns trying to make each other jump where you sit. 

Papyrus relays tales about misplaced bones and lasers on conveyor belts. Yours are all stolen from classic human horror films. Sans’ are quite original... and by far the scariest: about empty towns, dark hospitals and creepy, possessed children. 

And he seems to take pleasure in turning you and Papyrus into a huddled, shaking mess. 

Papyrus asks Sans to sleep with him in his room tonight. Not because he’s ‘afraid,’ he assures, but because he wants to make sure Sans doesn’t have any nightmares after the spooky stories. 

Before Sans complies, following Papyrus upstairs, he stops in front of where your sitting on the couch. Grinning, he wraps a hand behind your head to lightly pull you towards him. And presses a hard kiss against your hair.  

Bundled up on the couch later, you kind of wish you could have slept in the same room as Sans that night, too.  

His stories were pretty scary, after all.  

Although you know, deep down, that’s not the only reason for your wish. 

 

… 

The next morning, you awake to the smell of over-cooked pancakes filling the house.  

Sans presents two types at the table: some are lopsided from the strawberries and some are burnt from the chocolate. 

“didn’t say i was gonna be good at it,” he jokes as he sets the plates in front of you and Papyrus.  

They’re still pretty tasty. Papyrus seems to like them, too.  

You assure Sans that you think his cooking ‘takes the cake.’ 

But he thinks that you could do ‘batter.’ 

“UGH, STOP!,” Papyrus complains with a mouthful of food. “YOU’RE BOTH WAFFLE AT BREAKFAST PUNS! NYEH HEH HEH HEH HEH!” 

You agree with Papyrus and can’t help but laugh along.  

… 

The next day moves by quickly, too. 

You wake up and start breakfast. Both Sans and Papyrus join in to help. After eating with your two boys, you say good-bye and head off to work.  

You help MK with his studies, drop him off at school, grab a quick lunch with Sans, pick MK back up and make him lunch, too. You shamelessly flirt with Sans through text messages the entirety of the afternoon, and when MK’s studies are over, you take him back to your place to hang out with Papyrus again. 

But when you arrive at the house, you quickly realize that Papyrus isn’t home yet. MK seems a bit disappointed. So, you assure him that you’ll try your best to make up for it by doing whatever activity he wants for the rest of the day.  

“I wanna go to Waterfall!” he confesses, excitement clear in his bouncing body language.  

Your heart sinks into your stomach. 

“I’m sorry, buddy,” you reply somberly. “I can’t go to Waterfall with you today.” 

“Please!” he begs, desperately. “It’s, like, my favorite place!” 

You try to think of a compromise.  

“How about... we go play in the Snowdin fields? They’re pretty close to Waterfall!” You try hard to make the suggestion sound more appealing than it is.  

MK agrees in defeat. But once you arrive in the fields, he appears to be having a great time again. You make snow angels and play tag. MK suggests hide and seek, and you find each other rather easily for a few rounds.  

It’s your turn again, and you expand your counting time to give MK an advantage before you begin looking for him again. He’s difficult to find. With all the snow tracks you’ve created while playing, there’s no clear path to follow.  

After what feels like much too long, you begin to panic. You run through all the normal hiding places again, calling his name in desperation.  

Until you see it.  

A fresh set of tracks heading down the path towards Waterfall.  

And that’s when the true panic sets in. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm totally shirking all my college responsibilities at the moment XD 
> 
> But, I've been sitting on unfinished versions of these chapters for too long now.
> 
> So here's an extra long one to make up for it. I was going to turn it into two, but I couldn't think of a good enough place to split it. I hope you guys enjoy! 
> 
> And as always, thanks for reading!

### An Undying Strife

 

Sometimes you feel like your high sense of responsibility gets you into more trouble than it's worth. 

If someone asks you for a favor, you can't say no. 

When people claim that they’re relying on you, you can't let them down. 

And when the child you were supposed to be babysitting runs away to a place that is utterly deadly for humans… you have to go after them. 

You’re terrified. But you can’t let anything happen to MK.  

The thought fills you with determination, and you run down the path into Waterfall to find him. 

... 

It takes awhile.  

You’ve been looking everywhere, but you’re afraid to call out to him too loudly. And the sounds of the falls drown out a lot of your surroundings. 

You pass a field of tall grass, and many types of monsters you’ve never met before. Until you find yourself walking along a wide path built into a cliff side. There’s a lot of waterfalls that come from a cliff somewhere way above you, and they stagger down the side like a stair case. You have to cross all streams they create over the path very carefully. 

Finally, you spot him.

He's standing on the other side of one of the streams, looking down the road. 

You hurriedly splash through the waist-high river, not bothering to use any of the carefully placed stones or lily pads. 

“MK!” 

He turns the sound of your voice, looking shocked. Then, his gaze casts down with shame. You grab his shoulder as you reach him. 

“Why would you run away like that??” You can hear the urgency in your tone as a scolding, but you’re finding it hard to calm yourself after the scare you just went through.  

“I! I’m sorry...!” He squeezes his eyes shut and his apology tumbles out. “I totally swore I saw Papyrus going to Waterfall and I wanted to say hi!” Then, his eyes pop open wide with excitement. “But then! I actually saw Undyne!! I couldn’t believe it! It was so awesome! I followed her here but I lost her and uh... I got kinda lost.... Are you... are you going to tell my parents?” he finishes with a sense of defeat.  

Your frustration burns away quickly during his animated explanation. At the end, you can only sigh. 

“First, I’m more worried about us getting back safely.” Especially now that you’ve heard Undyne is in the area, you really need to get home. And fast. 

But you’ve hardly finished your sentence, when a sharp, glowing spear jabs into the ground right beside you. A near miss.  

Your blood runs cold. 

“I knew it!” A voice grows from behind. You spin around quickly, trying to block MK from the armored figure across the water.

“I knew something was going on. And finally, that nerd let’s it slip...”  

This... must be Undyne...  

She’s covered in full knight’s armor. Her face is obscured by a matching helmet, but her voice still rings out sharply. 

“Seven human souls... He only needed one more. And you’ve been right under my nose all along!?” The suit of armor shakes its head. You hear the sound of metal against metal growing louder the closer she gets. She stops just on the other side of the river, only a few yards away.

Souls? She wants your... soul?  

That’s... alarming. 

Your fear makes you want to step back, but you can feel MK just behind your heels. You can’t let him in harm's way. He might find this person as a hero, but you have no idea what she’s willing to risk to get to you. 

So, you hold your ground. And she continues her speech. 

“With the power of Seven human souls... King Asgore will become a god. And finally shatter the barrier. Then we can take back the surface from the humans. And give them back the pain and suffering we have endured. Understand, human?” 

You’re beginning to tremble now. Your head is spinning from this suddenly information. Asgore is... the king? And they want your soul? You faintly shake your head at her. 

She growls at your denial in comprehension. 

“I’m saying that this is your only chance at redemption!” She squeezes her fist tight with passion. “If you’re truly as much of a goody-two shoes as everyone says, then give up your soul now! Or, else I will be forced to rip it from your body!” 

There’s a brief pause. She’s waiting for an answer. 

All you can think to do in your stark fear is shake your head once more.  

“FINE!” she roars. A spear forms in her hands and she starts toward you, stomping through the water. 

But, before you can react to anything that’s happened, MK is already jumping in the way with a shout. 

“No!” 

Undyne halts in her tracks. She even takes what appears to be an involuntary step back. Perhaps she had no idea the kid was there all along.  

MK moves towards her. He finds footing on rocks near the shore in order to firmly stand between you. 

“Y-yo, dude... Th-this is my friend! If you want to get to them... you’re gonna have to get through me first!” 

After a few silent moments, the glowing spear in her arms disappears. But she continues moving forward. 

“Th-this is really uncool of you, Undyne...” MK stalls as he begins backing away.

You’re all so focused on the tension at hand, that no one actually witnesses MK miss his step. Suddenly, he's falling into the water, and the current swiftly pulls him under.

You only have time to react. You race in after him. The water is only waist deep on you. But by the time you reach him, sputtering and barely holding himself above water, you can’t find footing against the strong pull of the next waterfall just ahead. You try your best to hold onto him tightly as you’re both dragged over the edge.

You brace for impact. 

But, you’re lucky that watering hole below is much deeper than you thought. 

Still holding MK, you pull him to the surface with you and mange to haul him onto the shore.  

He’s gasping and coughing up water. You hurry to get him to a stand as you pat him firmly on the back. 

“MK! Are you okay?!” You’re also gasping for breath, but you’re more worried for the small, armless child.  

“I’m okay,” he manages, through a cough. 

You look up the cliff side and see the armored figure looking down at you. You wish you could give him more time to recover, but she's moving to pursue. 

“We need to go,” you warn him. You quickly scoop him up in your arms and bolt down the new, unfamiliar path before you. You’re not actually sure where it leads, but you head in the direction of Snowdin. After a few minutes of sprinting and trudging up hills, things finally begin to look familiar. But you can’t stop. You know that Undyne is still after you. MK makes protests to be put down, but you keep running until you simply can’t any longer.  

Breathing heavily, you slow it in front of a large field of tall grass. You know Snowdin isn’t far away, but you’re physically unable to continue. You need to hide. So, you set MK down.  

“I need you to run,” you direct between breaths. “Snowdin is... that way. Keep running... until you get home, okay?” 

“What!? I’m gonna stay with you!” he protests. 

"No,” you order firmly. “You could get hurt-” 

“Undyne wouldn’t hurt me...!” 

Just then, you see her, rounding the corner of the caves and coming to a screeching halt upon making eye contact with you. 

You can’t take the chance of an accident happening. With adrenaline coursing heavily through you, you end up yelling at him. 

“MK! I SAID RUN!” 

 A brief flash of fear crosses his features as he looks between you and Undyne. Then he turns immediately to run back towards Snowdin. You manage to duck into the tall grass just before Undyne starts after you again. You dive in and scramble into the middle, then stay as still possible.  

It’s impossibly difficult to breath quietly. You try listening intently as you hear the grass shifting from across the field.  

“So, you’ve finally stopped hiding behind a child!” she calls. 

You very subtly attempting to crawl your way closer to Snowdin. 

She stops suddenly.  

You stop, too.  

You can tell she’s also listening. 

You’re nearly holding your breath for a solid minute, before you hear the grass shuffling again. You move slowly to match it. 

“But now you’re only hiding again! Coward! Come out and fight me head on!” 

Her voice is only getting closer. You’re not making much headway while trying to stay quiet. It’s only a matter of time before she finds you. 

You squeeze your eyes tight as you frantically debate your options. 

... You decide to make a run for it. 

You break out through the foliage, tripping and stumbling before you find your footing to run on solid ground. Spears fly by, narrowly missing you. The scenery changes as it blurs past, and your shoes finally meet snow. Your eyes water from both the chilling air and your fear. Your legs and chest burn with piercing intensity. But you make it back to the snowy fields, nearing the town, and you don’t dare to look back as you continue running.  

Finally, you see an end. 

Papyrus is up ahead, jogging towards you and looking distraught. MK is right beside him. But the rush of relief you feel is cut short by a spear that flies right by your head and lands directly in your path. You only nearly dodge the projectile. But your footing falters, and you stumble, landing hard on your stomach- and still too far away from safety. Whatever breath you had left is knocked out of you by the frozen ground just under the snow. You're wheezing- trying to sit up as fast as you can, but Undyne is already on you. You're desperate as you crawl backwards, away from her.  

Papyrus’ shouting causes a momentary pause. 

“UNDYNE! WAIT! DO NOT HURT THE HUMAN!” 

He and MK are sprinting to you. But Undyne creates a fence with her spears, halting them in their tracks. 

“Stay out of the way!” She snarls to Papyrus for only the briefest moment, before another bout of spears flash to life.  

And that’s when you feel it. 

A rising in your chest.  

Something is pulling you away, though you’re not actually moving. You remember this happening only once before, when Papyrus threatened to fight you. It makes you gasp, and you claw at your chest to keep whatever is at bay. But it doesn’t help. The object is ripped away from you. 

It’s a heart. Deep blue, rich in color, and glowing brightly. It appears soft and malleable. And seems to drip with bright energy, though the liquid-like substance never actually touches the ground. It hovers right before you. You stare in both intrigue and horror.  

Undyne hums with pride. You can only assume that this is what she was looking for. Her spears aim directly at you – directly at the heart. You grab at it, to shield and protect it, but your hands phase right through. Undyne is moving towards you again. Her spears float around her, aimed to attack. 

This is it, you think. 

Right before an enormous snowball crashes into the front of her helmet.  

You experience a bout of whiplash as the heart shoots back into your rib cage. 

Undyne shouts in anger. She whips off her helmet and wipes away the snow in her eyes just as you glance back to find the provoker. You both seem to notice him in the same instance. 

“Sans!” she accuses, calling his name with ferocity.  

He’s standing only a few yards away from you- hands in his pockets- as causal as always. Except his left eye is emanating a blue and yellow energy that you’ve never seen. 

Although he’s still smiling, he somehow appears nothing near amused.  

The color in his eye disappears just as soon as he addresses Undyne. 

“what‘sup, pal?” 

“What’s up?! 'What’s up' is that I’m doing what you were supposed to a long time ago!” Her fish features twist in her rage, and her fins seem to flare. “So stay out of it! This is no longer any of your business!” 

You’re slowly inching yourself away from your attacker while her attention is on Sans. Eventually, you bump into Papyrus’ shin bone. Undyne’s barrier must have dissipated during the distraction. However, you can only guess, as you refuse to take your eyes away from the standoff at hand. 

“hm,” Sans thoughtfully mocks. “really? ’cause it looks to me like you were tryin’ to hurt my brother...  _and my human_. if that's not my business, m'not sure what is.” 

“What?! This isn't a pet! You know humans are dangerous! I’m taking it to Asgore before it harms anyone!! Don’t you dare get involved!” 

“dangerous, huh? I think you’re a bit mixed up here, buddy.” He speaks with a false innocence, but it only makes the grin on his face seem all the more intimidating. “this human hasn’t hurt a soul. and killing an innocent person isn’t exactly moral. Y’ know what they say...” Sans turns up his palms as he shrugs. Suddenly, the ground all around begins to shake. Bones shoot out rapidly and hover everywhere in the air, glowing the same blue as the light that was just in San's eye moments before. They all aim towards Undyne.  

“...karma’s a bitch.” For a split second, you think that all the light behind his eyes has disappeared. But, in the next, he's placing his hands back into his pockets with a wink.

You see the fire in Undyne’s own eye momentarily waver. They stay completely still, both staring at each other, brandishing their weapons, and not backing down.

“The King is not going to be happy about this,” she tests him through grit teeth. 

Sans only shrugs his shoulders with disinterest – the bones in the air lightly bounce, but his defenses never lower.  

“you goin’ to be the one to tell him?” he challenges. 

Undine’s glare shift rapidly from Sans, to you and MK, to Papyrus, and back to Sans. She continues to hold his gaze for what feels like much too long. 

“Are you really falling for this goody-two shoes act?!” She shouts so suddenly that it causes you to jump. “I thought you'd be more clever than that! You must have felt it, too! That weird feeling! It’s must be mind-controlling you! Manipulating you all to make you think it’s your friend!” 

“BUT UNDYNE! THE HUMAN IS OUR FRIEND!” Papyrus cries. "A REALLY COOL FRIEND!"

Her attention moves to Papyrus. She stares him down for a second longer before groaning in annoyance. Finally, she backs down. Her spears disintegrate, and she clicks her tongue in anger as she turns back to Sans: who has also appeared to have called back his weapons. 

“Fine! You win this time! But the next time I see it in Waterfall, the human is mine!” Her glare flickers to you once last time before she points an accusatory finger at Sans. “You better keep an eye on it!” 

Finally, she stalks away.  

You don’t feel your own legs again until you can no longer see her. They shoot you to a stand and, almost automatically, you're running to Sans. He catches you in his arms, as you stumble into him. You shake uncontrollably in his firm hold, feeling completely exhausted. But your legs wobble, and you can’t stop from collapsing to your knees after a moment. He follows you down, holding you steady. 

“it’s alright now, bud,” he assures you softly and pats your hair. He lifts a finger to lightly brush away one of your tears.  

You hadn’t even realized you were crying. 

You pull back to rub away the last of the water left on your cheeks. Suddenly, MK bounds into you, nuzzling up to your shoulder. Papyrus is in close pursuit.  

“ARE YOU HURT, HUMAN?!” Papyrus clamors, clearly still in distress as he kneels over you. You shake your head as you pat MK.  

“No. I’m fine.... thanks to you all." You sniffle away the rest of your own duress. Sans is still crouched next to you, keeping a hand on your back for support and comfort. MK looks up at you with wide eyes. 

“So, you, um... You’re like... really... a human?” he asks nervously. 

You can’t lie to him now: only brace for consequences. So, you nod.

“WOW!!” he exclaims suddenly, almost making you leap. “That’s like, SOO COOL! I mean, uh, like, not Undyne trying to hurt you – that was super uncool. But I mean, my babysitter was a human?! Like, this whole time?! That’s SO RAD!!!” 

His enthusiasm makes you chuckle, and you find your willpower to shakily stand again.  

“I’m glad you think so,” you smile wearily. “But I need you to keep it a secret for now, okay?” 

He nods with fervor.  

“Yeah, of course!” he replies. But then looks suddenly downtrodden. “And um.. I’m really really sorry... for running away and getting you in trouble. I was just, like... really excited to see Undyne... but now I don’t think I want to see her again... I mean, you’re way more awesome! Like, the way you saved me! Man, that was awesome! But... I ... umm...shouldn’t have gotten lost like that...” He’s rambling. So, you bend down to give him a hug of assurance.  

“I know it was just an accident.” You pull away to place your hands on his shoulders. You try your best to steady your voice, before you continue. “Besides, you saved me too. And you got help. You were very brave. We’ll both just have to be more careful from now on, okay?”  

He nods even more fervently. 

Looking down at him smiling to you, you vaguely note that both of your clothes are still soaking wet. You’re unsure if monsters can get sick like humans do. But, either way, you should get him inside.  

With a goal in mind to refocus your thoughts, you straighten and take in a breath.  

You’re still very shaken, but you don’t want to make MK feel any worse. And, you really should get him home and changed before his parent’s arrive. 

“Let’s get you back,” you suggest. 

Besides, after the trauma you’ve just experienced, 

You just want to go home, too. 

 


End file.
